The Fidelius Kept Secret
by Venquine1990
Summary: After the meeting in the Hogs Head and talking with Sirius, does Harry come to a shocking discovery that breaks his heart and makes him make a drastic decision. A decision that will test the friendship between him and his Quidditch Team. Will they succeed? Will they be able to do what Peter Pettigrew couldn't? Can they keep the secret, even from Dumbledore? And what about the war?
1. Chapter 1

_**Hey everyone,  
**_ _ **It's official. 2018 is the year of new story ideas. I don't know why my mind had come up with so many new stories, but this is actually one that came up in my mind before I wrote chapter 43 of To Read Into The Universe. And let me make one thing clear for this story: Harry will play an important SECONDARY role.  
**_ _ **Let's get started,**_

* * *

 _ **The Fidelius Kept Secret  
**_ _ **Chapter 01  
**_ _ **The Betrayal**_

 _ **Quidditch Pitch, Hogwarts  
**_ _ **10**_ _ **th**_ _ **of October 1995  
**_ _ **Harry's POV**_

Last weekend I had a meeting with several students, many of which I knew by either name or face, but a few of which I didn't and the other night I found out that this meeting had been overseen and heard by people that I am supposed to trust. But the fact that I am being watched without me knowing it just really bugs and annoys me.  
Yet while I'm sure my friends are expecting me to be most upset about the fact that Umbridge has attacked my owl, Hedwig, in order to read and spy on my mail, do I feel angrier over the fact that people I am supposed to trust aren't respecting my rights. Yet for some reason I feel angry over this, regardless of Hogsmeade.  
There is more to this. There is something else about this that angers me, but I just can't wrap my mind around what it could be. That is, until I realize that I have been floating on my Firebolt above the rest of the team for a while and that I have been able to observe them, but that they have been too busy training to notice me do this.

And as I realize this, do I turn from the Quidditch pitch, to the castle that is a few feet away from us. My eyes land on its majestic structure and focus on three points, going from one to the other to the next and then back to the first. A tower which houses the Head of the school, a courtyard that houses my Head of House.  
And the tower that houses the teacher that has been a literal and figurative pain in my side for the last month and a week. And as my eyes go from the third back to the first, do they widen and does my heart plummet as I turn from that – to the town where I held my meeting, the meeting I was told was overheard by someone without my knowledge.  
I look at the town, my realization coming to me with the speed and ferocity of a Bludger and making me feel as if my insides have been hit with the flames and the spikes of the tail of a Hungarian Horntail, while at the same time the emotions I felt when hearing the lies about Sirius in Christmas Third return to me tenfold.

" **POTTER!"** Someone yells, the voice sounding distant, but strong enough to break me from my thoughts and I look down. "You done daydreaming? We're heading back!" Angelina, the new Team Captain of Gryffindor yells at me before turning her back to me. Yet I look away from her and scour the field with my eyes.  
I try to find it, yet hope not to and don't indeed, but this brings me no reassurance or comfort. Instead I just sigh and fly down, arriving in the changing rooms just before Angelina and Alicia put their brooms on their shoulder. I look from them to the rest of the room and then say: "Wait." The two now at the exit.

They turn to me and I turn back to the room at large, pain and anger and hatred and betrayal coursing through me and making tears spring into my eyes, yet I don't let them fall and just growl: "If you don't want to lose my trust and respect entirely, you will reveal yourself. Snuffles told me about you, now show yourself. Prove you respect me."  
The girls look at each other confused, yet Ron and the twins seem to get what I am getting at and the twins step up as one of them says: "Unless you want our next meeting to be filled with punish-filled pranks.""You will do as Harry says.""Cause this isn't doing our trust in your little _group_ much good." The two chorus at the end.  
And Ron glaring around the room and actually pulling his wand from his robes seems to do the trick as, from the other side of the room, I notice a flurry in empty space before an invisibility cloak falls away. And the fact that it reveals someone, of who I know has the ability to change her appearance at will, brings with it a new realization.

"I was right. Dumbledore's had me watched even inside Hogwarts. But while they should be keeping me safe – did they do **nothing** while I was cutting my hand open. And all those times that Ron and Hermione kept trying to tell me to report to Dumbledore, they were wasting their time and breath – because he already **knew**."  
And these thoughts do the trick. My tears start to fall and I growl: "You filthy rats." And while the insult might be considered light-hearted to some, does Tonks flinch back, proving she understands exactly why I use that word for an insult. I then turn to Ron and the boy growls: "Depulso!" Pushing Tonks out of the room.  
Angelina and Alicia step away, shocked, but not shocked enough to not close and lock the door the minute she flies through. The twins follow this up with several locking charms I just know they developed to keep their mother out of their room when they are working on their new products, while Katie turns to me and asks:

"Harry, what just happened? Who was that? Why was she in the changing room? And how did you know she was here?" But I just turn my back on them all, not wanting them to see more than my shaking shoulders, proving that I am crying. Instead Ron catches Katie's attention as well as that of the other Chasers as he says:  
"That was Tonks. She's a Metamorphmagus, Auror and member of the Order of the Phoenix, a group Dumbledore put together during the last war to fight You-Know-Who. And why was she here? Because Dumbledore wants Harry _guarded."_ And the way that he emphasizes the last word with pure sarcasm makes me feel a little better.  
"What do you mean? Why would Harry need to be guarded when he's practicing? What? Does Dumbledore think we're going to curse him like back in his First or something?" Angelina asks affronted and Alicia goes on: "And if you're supposed to be guarded, why is Umbridge able – wait, did you just say she's a Metamorphmagus?"  
Ron nods and I think: "Which is exactly why I hate her and the others so much. She could have so easily changed her looks to those of a complete stranger and then made the alibi that she was a Boy-Who-Lived fan and felt concerned over how her hero was being slandered and decided to check up on him or something."

And to my slight pride and contentment, as well as a balm to my hurt, crying heart, do I hear Ron explain this same example, almost down to the letter. "So wait, Dumbledore **knows** that Harry is cutting his hand open, does nothing about it – and still dares to send people out to guard/spy on Harry all at the same time?  
And he wants us to remain loyal to him? To fight monsters like Voldemort for him?" She asks and then I finally speak up and say: "No more." The others all turn to me and I say: "I'm not fighting. Not anymore. I – I know what I said this weekend, but –." And Alicia says: "But this just doesn't make anything worth fighting for.  
You need to be able to fight for yourself before you should start fighting for others." I smile at her and then turn to Ron before I turn to the twins and ask: "You think you can get Lee to the kitchens without anyone noticing?" The two nod and I turn back to Ron and say: "Make sure the girls take various routes there. I'll meet you there."

And I wipe my face and use the sink next to me to clean my face and make sure no one can see that I have cried. I turn to the girls and send them a quiet look that asks them to trust me and the three of them nod. I then leave the changing room and instantly my eyes roam over the grounds, in search for that traitorous spy.  
I don't find her and neither do I see the ripples that prove someone is under an invisibility cloak. I start to walk, but as I do, does my mind race through everything I know, including something I secretly researched down to the very last miniature, insignificant detail after hearing what happened to my parents in my Third.  
And these thoughts bring a new realization to me, one that makes it real hard for me to keep a calm, uncaring look on my face as I take the shortest route I know from the grounds to the kitchen. I arrive there first and make sure, once again, that I am absolutely alone before I tickle the pear and enter the large, wide room.

And instantly, upon my entrance, do my legs get attacked by a small being with bat-like ears that squeals as he greets me. A small smile erupts from my face as I hear him squealing and ranting, but then I say: "Dobby." And the urgency in my voice instantly silences the overly excited House Elf, making him look up at me.  
I turn to the other House Elves and whisper: "Don't let them hear me, I don't want this getting back to Dumbledore, not yet." The House Elf nods, but I don't see him doing anything and I guess there are just some kind of privacy charms fixed onto the kitchens or moral code going on between the magical little beings scurrying around.  
I turn back to Dobby and whisper: "Remember how you felt back in my Second? When you thought I was in grave danger? That's actually more true now, Dobby, than it was back then. And even in ways that your old Master and in return his master have nothing to do with. I am being endangered from the one source that **shouldn't** endanger me."

The House Elf looks shocked and while I want to elaborate, do I not feel as if I have the time, not if I want to get this done and so I say: "So, because I feel as unsafe as my parents did when – He went after them, am I going to do what they did. And don't worry, Dobby, I did all the research into that spell that I needed to.  
I know what I'm doing." The little being looks at me for a while, as if trying to see for himself that I am speaking the truth and I just keep smiling at him, wanting to convince him with the look on my face. This seems to do the trick and then the door opens again, Ron coming in. He smiles at me and nods, proving he's done his job.  
I smile at him and then turn back to Dobby as I ask: "Dobby, once I have done what my parents did and make sure I don't make the same mistake they, unfortunately and unknowingly, made, would you like to help me? Provide me with rations and keep my place clean and let me know what the homework is while I'm away?  
And **can** you do that **while** keeping my location a secret from Dumbledore or keep him from knowing you are doing this?" The House Elf's eyes are wider than saucers and I wonder if they won't, somehow, fall out of their sockets before he squeals and says: "Yes! Yes Harry Potter! Yes! Dobby can do that! Dobby would love to do that!"

I smile at him and say: "Good, you can start once it becomes clear to everyone that I have left. Until then, just keep to your usual tasks and chores. And don't tell anyone that my friend and I were here, okay? You work for Dumbledore, but you're helping me. You're – you're helping Dumbledore keep me safe." And I wink at him before I leave.  
The twins, Lee and the Chasers are outside the kitchens waiting for me and I say: "Thanks for coming. There are a few things you should know. You all know how my parents went down under the Fidelius charm to protect me from Voldemort, right? Well, after learning about this, did I study that spell to the last, minor detail.  
However, there is one thing that the twins, Ron and I know about that event that you don't, namely – Sirius Black _wasn't_ the Secret Keeper. It was Peter Pettigrew, the same wizard who –." Here I hesitate, not out of fear of telling them, but out of pain of what happened recently and then I push through my fear and say:  
"Who killed Cedric." The three look shocked and Lee asks: "Why are you telling us this?" And I sigh as I say: "Because you deserve to. Because – because I found something out that, if my parents had known – if they had that chance, if the war hadn't made everyone distrust each other – I wouldn't have been an orphan right now."

This makes even the Weasleys look at me shocked and I make sure, yet again, that we are alone before motioning them all to come closer. They all come to stand right in front of me and I whisper: "There is a way to make the Fidelius charm absolutely indestructible, to make 110% sure that I can hide behind it with perfect safety.  
And I need you, all seven of you, to get this done. I am going to go down to the Shrieking Shack – no, it's not actually haunted, the twins can explain that one – and there I'm going to make Ron my Secret Keeper. When he gets back, Fred, become his Secret Keeper and make George your Secret Keeper and Lee his.  
Keep this doing over and over until you feel some kind of magic stopping you. At this point the spell will be at full power and will only be broken – if all seven of you experience the same thing I just did; personal betrayal. Only if all seven of you get personally betrayed by someone, will the spell fail. And yes, I checked seven reference books."

The group shares shocked and amazed looks and I whisper: "Dobby, get Ron the book on the Fidelius charm that is in my trunk." And Ron looks down at his left where the book falls into his hand. He looks at me and I say: "I'll give you the signal when I am down there. Make sure to start this sequence tomorrow between classes."  
"Harry, how is you already have all of this planned out?" Alicia asks and I grimace as I say: "I think up parts of this plan little by little every time my mood takes a plummet or when I am near my breaking point. Something that's – been happening a lot more as of late." The girl nods, looking at me with a look of understanding sympathy.  
I let my gaze go over all of them, knowing this will be the last time I will see them – and my other friends – for some time, but then I think: "This is what my parents would have wanted for me. They would not want for their friends to be able to break my rights of privacy so easily. They would want me to cherish and protect those rights."  
I walk off, but while I pass the twins, do they stop me by giving me a warm, loving and understanding embrace. And while I return the hug, do I whisper: "It was tainted." Before slipping the Marauders Map, which ex-Professor Remus John Lupin gave back to me at the end of my Third, into the back pocket of the left twin's jeans.

I then walk out of the hallway and take a stroll through the castle, making sure that several students see me at several points in the large building before diving into a small secret passageway that I know leads to the witch with the hunched back; the passageway that leads to Honeydukes. I whisper the password to get this done and sneak in.  
While moving through the passageway, do I make use of the fact that students can use magic while inside Hogwarts to cast simple spells on the ceiling behind me, causing for rubble to fall at random points. Yet I constantly hear it just hit the ground without interference and feel relieved as this means I am no longer being followed.  
With this sense of relief do I leave the passageway and the candy store, feeling even more relieved that, for some reason, the store is actually quite full with several adults that I have never seen before. And because I left my robe behind in the tunnel and used spit to tame my hair a little, do I look nothing like Gryffindor Harry Potter.

I leave the candy store, but instantly sneak into a back alley and make sure I stay out of sight until I reach the small forest that separates the town of Hogsmeade with one of its most famous sightseeing spots. There I carefully move around the Shrieking Shack, making sure to stay out of the line of sight of the Hogwarts windows.  
I scurry around the building, trying to find even the smallest of crawling space or the weak points in the structure and then notice one rotten bit of wood that seems to have been half boarded up against a bit of wall near the ground. I touch it and try to move it, my eyes widening when I can push it up and reveal a hole in the wall.  
I quickly use my wand, first to enlarge the hole just a bit and then to keep the bit of wood up as I crawl through the hole that is now just large enough that a few rough points scratch at the cloths I'm still wearing. I manage to enter the decrepit building and instantly call: "Dobby!" The House Elf popping in a second later.

"I have a few tasks for you before I want you to inform Ron to activate the spell. First, enchant the windows to make sure no one sees anything inside other than what they always see. Two, take the dust and cobwebs out of the bedroom upstairs. Three, get everything out of my trunk, but leave my trunk in my dorm room, okay?"  
The House Elf looks more hyped than I have ever seen him and his eyes are shining like the fireworks that the twins love to shoot off from time to time. This concerns me and so I crouch down to his level and say: "Dobby, focus. If you look like that, everyone will know instantly that I'm asking you to do things for me. You have to contain yourself."  
The Elf looks startled and I say: "Just pretend as if I'm Dumbledore or Hagrid or anyone else when I ask you to do something for me. Otherwise, this might not even work. Can I count on you to at least try that, Dobby?" The Elf nods frantically, obviously frightened with the knowledge he might ruin my plans and then snaps his fingers.  
I notice a gleam of magic go over the windows, which I made sure not to stand in front of after I got in, and hear something happen upstairs. I smile at Dobby and nod at him as I say: "Good job, Dobby. Now go tell Ron to activate the Fidelius. And please, make sure that you are instantly included and only come here when you're safe."

The Elf nods, his eyes proving he is determined to help me through this and I sigh as he pops away, hating the knowledge that – like over summer – I am on my own again and that I am stuck in one location, at least until things have been settled and those that have hurt and betrayed me have made up for doing so.  
And as I move up the creaking staircase up to the second floor and into the now clean bedroom, do I remember what happened in here. This makes me feel even worse and I let myself fall onto the fixed bed, looking up at the canopy that has obviously been knitted back together and I whisper: "Goodbye, Sirius. I'm sorry." And I start to cry again.

* * *

 _ **Poor Harry.  
**_ _ **Yeah, the knowledge that the Map has been messed with is one thing. The fact that the Order told Dumbledore about Umbridge and her Blood Quill another. The fact that someone like Tonks WAS A GUARD and did NOT use her Metamorphmagus form to get Harry out of there without revealing the Order – that's just wrong.  
**_ _ **So now, Harry is going to stay inside the Shrieking Shack, while Ron and the others of the Quidditch Team are going to get the Fidelius Charm up to its full power and of course, Harry's disappearance is going to cause all kinds of trouble and disturbances for all parties involved, the Order, the Ministry and Voldemort.  
**_ _ **This'll be fun,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


	2. The First Week

_**Hey everyone,  
**_ _ **From here, we're going to cover Ron after he has cast the Fidelius – sorry, I can't exactly think of a way to have Ron cast it, so I will just skip that, have the twins realize what Harry meant with his whispered message just before he left and do the seven of them work together to remain unnoticed as they get the spell to full strength.  
**_ _ **Now I want to make a few things clear when it comes to this story. There is going to be one thing that really isn't done often that will be part of this story and that is this: the Weasleys will NOT blindly follow Dumbledore, they will oppose him and will fight his beliefs, especially when it comes to the prophesy.  
**_ _ **Also, this will probably not be a very long story as I plan to have Voldemort destroyed BEFORE Christmas. And I am also going to do something else that I have**_ **NEVER** _ **done before: have Umbridge kill Voldemort. How and why? You will have to wait until sometime later into the story to find out, sorry.  
**_ _ **Not sorry,**_

 _ **Venquine1990  
Shout-Out To:  
V.L. Crawford  
Tyler'sPrincess  
Shinigami  
And The Guest Who left the lovely long review (no, not meant sarcastically, I genuinely appreciated it).**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 02  
**_ _ **The First Week**_

 _ **Boys Dorm, Hogwarts  
**_ _ **11**_ _ **th**_ _ **of October 1995  
**_ _ **Ron's POV**_

Waking up to a trunk sitting at the foot of a perfectly tidy, unslept bed is really not a nice way to wake up, but sensing the magic that has been coursing through me, through my heart and mind, ever since last night when I went through the steps described in the book Harry left me before he left, makes me feel better about it all.  
"He's safe. The Order might not be able to keep him safe, but my team and I can." And while part of me wonders if the Order has come together about Harry not having slept in his dorm last night, a thought that makes me shudder as it means that they are _guarding_ him even in the dorm, do I get out of bed and get changed.  
"Where is he?" I hear Seamus ask after I exit the bathroom, but while part of me wants to answer, do I just shrug and retort: "Why do you care? I thought you believed him a loon, Finnegan." And just like every other time the last few weeks does the Irish lad glare at me as I leave the dorm room for the common room downstairs.

Yet there I am tested once more as Hermione rushes at me and says: "Ron! RON! The Fat Lady! She just told me! She told me that Harry didn't pass through her last night. That he didn't come back from practice! Where is he? Do you know? I saw you guys leave the pitch, but you and the twins and the girls came in much later."  
I grimace at her and say: "We came in later, Hermione, because we decided to get some chocolate from the kitchens. You know, to compensate for the bad crap that Umbridge is putting us through and whatnot. And as for Harry, doesn't he have his cloak?" And with that do I just leave the girl gaping behind me, feeling proud of myself.

I leave for the Great Hall and there I instantly get evidence of what I was thinking about earlier, something that makes me grimace and growl from the back of my throat. The seats of Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall, three teachers that are almost always in the Great Hall before the students, are now empty.  
I then notice that Umbridge is looking between the three and the doors and when she spots me, do I make sure to sport a look of concerned confusion, making it look as if I have no idea why these three seats are vacant as I take a seat at the Gryffindor Table. Yet I also make sure to sit with my back to the woman and drop this visage.  
Hermione wants to come sit opposite of me, but I shake my head ever so slightly and motion for the seat beside me. She changes to the other side of the table at the last moment, but I turn my face a little and see that Umbridge has gone back to looking at the vacant seats. Hermione comes to sit beside me and I whisper at her:  
"Dumbledore and the others are in a meeting – and I know what it's about. They know, Hermione. They know that Harry wasn't in the dorm last night." The girl frowns at me and I mutter: "Do you know any spells to check for presences? We should learn it. You'll find that, when you least expect it, there are more people in a room than there should be."

"But why is it such a problem that they know he wasn't in the dorm?""Because neither Seamus, Dean, Neville, Harry or I ever gave them permission to come in there. And don't give me that _they just want to protect Harry_ bull, Hermione. Umbridge is the dangerous one and even she wouldn't dare harm Harry in his own dorm.  
They know that the most dangerous thing in there is Seamus thinking Harry a loon and _still_ they go in there every night to _protect him_. What do you call that, Hermione, cause I call it spying." The girl grimaces and asks: "What happened, Ron? Since when are you against the Order?" And I angrily growl back at her:  
"Since they broke our rights to privacy. And you can't tell me you'll just accept it if you suddenly find out that Tonks has been inside the girls dorm all this time so don't try it." The girl looks away here and this gives me a chance to look at Alicia. The girl nods and I smile at her, happy that our little routine is flowing so smoothly.

Last night, after I cast the spell, did the twins, Katie and I all pull out our schedules and we used the Map to plan out routes where, without anyone noticing one of us could pass on the Fidelius charm to the next. Of course Lee, the twins, Alicia and Angelina all being in the same year also helped and we hope to do Lee tonight or tomorrow.  
The tanned lad with the braided hair promised me that he would ask Katie the next morning if she'd be his girlfriend as this would give her an excuse to come into his dorm with him, where they would be able to make him the next Secret Keeper and that he would, under a secrecy charm, wait for me at my dorm room door the morning after.  
Yet as the twins looked at the Map after we thought out all these ideas and routes, did their eyes widen and they growled: "Those filthy bastards.""That just goes too far.""That's more than invasion of privacy.""That's breaking and entering." We had looked at them and they asked me one question: "How does this Map **not** show Tonks?"

It had been the realization that someone had cursed the Map to hide the Order from sight that had almost made me walk into the dorm looking white with shock and horror. But luckily enough the twins had caught me before anyone could see me and we had taken some chocolate to make sure no one would get suspicious.  
And as I turn back to Hermione, do I see that she is on board, not entirely as she has always had an almost sick level of trust in adults, even with bastards like Umbridge and Snape around, but she has definitely lost some level of the devotion she feels for the Order and is a little more on Harry's side in all this now.  
I smile at her, knowing I need to comfort and support her now that Harry will be out of the picture for an undisclosed amount of time – or at least until Dumbledore stops using his Order as spies on students that actually need him to protect them – and just go onto what I know everyone is expecting of me, to gorge down my breakfast.

And yet, at the end of breakfast, do I suddenly notice that the three empty seats are now filled and Dumbledore stands up just before the first students leave for their class as he says: "Sorry to disturb you all, but would the Weasley siblings, Mr. Longbottom, the Gryffindor Chasers and Mss. Granger please head to my office?  
I am afraid that there is some information that they might have for me that is imperative to both myself and Professor McGonagall and Snape for various reasons. We will let you all know more once they have spoken with us. Please know that first classes of the day have been cancelled and stay here until our conversation is over."  
This causes a mix of shock and delight and most of the Ravens pull out potential homework that they want to work on more, while the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors join together, a lot of the Lions turning to those mentioned, but I just motion with my head and lead the group mentioned out of the Great Hall, trying not to smirk.  
This because, as stupid and amazing as it sounds at the same time, Dumbledore will actually have six of the seven planned Secret Keepers in his office, but even without him being there, do I know that Lee won't betray his role in all this and I also know that none of my team mates are going to say a thing, no matter what.

We reach the gargoyle, that moves aside before either Hermione or I can give the password and we get onto the moving staircase that leads up to the small tower that houses Dumbledore's office. And just as we all get on, does Neville open his mouth and ask: "Why are we being called anyway?" And the twins answer him, one at a time.  
"Now Neville.""You disappoint us, mate.""Haven't you noticed.""That our lovely little trio.""Is missing a member?" To which Neville instantly asks: " _ **Where**_ is Harry?" And I make sure to open the door to the office just as he asks this, having knocked as the twins talked and we walk in, just as Dumbledore speaks up:  
"Now that is a question that we had hoped you would have an answer to, Mr. Longbottom." The shy boy, who has been coming out of his shell more and more this last month, shrugs at the man and says: "Sorry sir, we didn't see him come in with the others of the team last night and his bed was left unslept when I woke up this morning."

I myself shrug and McGonagall asks: "Is there something you want to share with us, Mr. Weasley?" And while it takes a lot out of me not to growl or glare at her as I think: "You have no right to sound so accusing, witch." Do I answer: "To be honest, I was just thinking that this really isn't all that surprising, is all.  
Harry, whenever people don't want to care for their hero, has always been able to blend in with the rest of us just fine, so that he is able to hide so well that no one knows where he is just doesn't surprise me. And seeing as how Umbridge just keeps growing in power, regardless of what a nightmare she is. Like I said, not surprising."  
"And you think Potter can keep doing this? Keep himself hidden, that is?" Snape sneers and I make sure to look Dumbledore right in the eye as I say: "Of course. He has his trusted map and cloak, after all." And I add just the very slightest of emphasis on the word _map_ as I say this, the man's eyes twitching to prove he picked up on it.

"What about the rest of you?" McGonagall asks and Angelina shrugs as she says: "To be brutally honest, Professor. I'm envious. Harry might be Umbridge's main target right now, but the fact that he can hide like this. If that means he can finally escape her radar and tyranny and the crap she pulls on him, all the better.  
I do wish I could follow him, but – that's a skill that is all Harry." I smile at the girl, knowing that she must have a ton of trouble saying this as Harry being gone does greatly decrease our chances at winning the Cup and she has been putting Harry through a lot of trouble herself over this. And the girl proves she knows this too.  
She sighs and says: "To be honest, I feel kind of guilty. Harry is Umbridge's target and she has it out for him, but – every time she got a chance to make his life more miserable, I could only think of my role as Captain and my chances of winning the Cup and made things even harder for him. I even humiliated him that one time."  
"What time, Mss. Johnson?" McGonagall actually has the gall to ask, even though I know exactly what the girl is talking about and she knows it too. She glares at the woman and snaps: "The time when we blamed **him** for his detentions, when we both know what kind of piece of work Umbridge was, Professor. **That** time."

The woman frowns at her, but Angelina doesn't back down, just glaring back at her, daring the woman to contradict or argue with her. "Potter should know when –." Snape tries, but Katie snorts and says: "You have no leg to stand on when it comes to that, Professor. You can't contain yourself when it comes to him either, after all."  
The man glares at her, but she just shrugs and looks away, not out of fear but out of disinterest. Dumbledore sighs and asks: "So none of you know where Mr. Potter is at this point?" We shake our heads and I say: "And unless he gives us the Map, we won't be able to help you either." Which I know is a bold-faced lie.  
Yet the fact that the Map has already been messed with by this man and his Order makes it so that I don't even care for this fact or for the fact that I am basically making myself guilty of what Umbridge constantly forces Harry to write about and carve into his hand. But if anything, these thoughts just strengthen my resolve.

"If they're not willing to protect him from that toad and her horrible ways, even though they know just fine about what she's doing, then I will." I think as Dumbledore dismisses us and implores us to let him know once Harry contacts us. But while I wonder if Harry might use Dobby for that, do I know I won't do as he asks.  
And as I walk down, Hermione and Neville muttering in concern with each other and the twins having their heads together as they walk, do I only need to look at how neither of their mouths are moving and how the girls are looking at each of us with a protective, caring look on their faces, do I know that these five think the same.

 _ **Several days later  
**_ _ **14**_ _ **th**_ _ **of October 1995  
**_ _ **Great Hall, Hogwarts  
**_ _ **  
**_Over the last week I have sensed it more and more, both when I contributed to it myself and when my team of seven worked together to get it done. The Fidelius grew stronger and stronger and it felt as if a bit of my heart and mind were linked together with a form of magic that felt as if it was strengthened by the trust we feel for each other.  
I also feel as if I can feel their need to keep Harry safe a little more every time the Fidelius gets strengthened as well as just how determined they are to see this through. And last night, when Katie and Lee went up to their dorm – again – did I feel it. A link between my heart and mind and that of the others that felt infinitely powerful.  
I felt as if I was but one pin in a symbol that represented the infinity symbol, three pins on the left, three on the right and one in the very center. I knew, and by glancing at George who was playing Chess with me did I see that he knew it too, that the spell was at full power, that it was at the point where it could not break.  
We waited until everyone had gone to bed, we ourselves having done the same to make sure no one would spot us staying up late as tension was running higher and higher the longer Harry stayed _missing_ and waited until everyone was fast asleep before meeting in the twins dorm room as it was just them and Lee.

"Okay, the spell is at full power. According to the book we read, one of us could be tortured, raped, maimed and every fun thing else that Voldie might try to break us, it won't work. From now on, because there was never a bond of trust between us and him or a bond of anything else positive, Harry is 100% safe from him."  
Lee had been the one to open the conversation with this and while some of us felt a little uncomfortable with how he was calling this horrible dark wizard, did we only grimace before nodding and I ask: "So, do we tell them?" But the twins had proven to be the geniuses that neither Hermione or mum ever saw them for.  
"Only a bit. **You** tell them, Ron. You tell them that you're Secret Keeper and that you picked – whoever of us you want – as a Secondary Secret Keeper and that you told that person how we should make a circle of seven, but then with each of us picking one person we know we can trust with this secretive task."  
"Make them guess. Make them wonder who else of us was picked. They'll go on a wild goose hunt and question everyone and anyone. And if we get picked? It's not the first time we lied about whether or not we were responsible for something. And finally giving old toadie a reason to call us liars? All the better for it."  
"And make sure you do it tomorrow, at breakfast. Take the Map with you, take the cloak that Harry had Dobby put back in his trunk with you. Prove that Harry is gone and that they've been tricked. Let them feel the way Harry felt when he realized Tonks was there." The twins had each said their part, but then Katie said:

"That reminds me. Has anyone even seen that Auror since?" But while the seven of us actually practices the _Homenum Revelio_ spell, which helps us learn if there are more presences in a room than we can see, did we only cast it when we were in a room where we were supposed to be private as of last Thursday.  
And so far I have only caught a presence last night, one that actually left the room before I could reveal him or her to Neville, Dean and Seamus and I report this to them before I say: "And going by the sound of the footsteps, it definitely wasn't her. It was probably either Kingsley Shacklebolt, also an Auror, or Lupin."  
The group, outside my brothers, look at me shocked and Lee asks: "Wait, Lupin? As in, one of the last links Harry has left to his parents Lupin? As in the man who taught Harry the Patronus Lupin?" And the twins growled: "As in, probably the one who cursed the Map Lupin." I had nodded at this and stated: "Yeah, that Lupin."  
"He's siding with Dumbledore? Over this? Over Harry, getting hurt, by someone who has been making his life just as miserable? Shouldn't he have even more reason than the Aurors to want to keep Harry away from her?" Angelina asks and I answer: "Dumbledore allowed him to come to Hogwarts as a teen, after he was bitten."  
And the way I say this silences them, their looks proving that they understand what I'm not saying. "Lupin is more loyal to Dumbledore over that chance than to Harry for being his best friends' son." And I can tell that this has just made all three of them – the twins not included as they were already aware, even more determined.

I now see that all six of them are in the Great Hall, showing of the usual uncaring, unconcerned looks that we have all been sporting the last few days, that we tell others is because we're glad that Harry is _staying out of trouble_ for the moment, a statement I know rubs McGonagall the wrong way every time we say it in her presence.  
"It's as if she _doesn't_ want him to stay out of trouble, even though she constantly tells him to. Hypocrite." I think to myself and I quickly scan the Head Table, spotting all of the teachers I want present seated there. Snape and Umbridge are trying to hide their annoyance, while McGonagall and Dumbledore look quite worried.  
This alone makes me smirk and I think: "Time to alleviate those troubled minds." At which I stand up and walk over to the Owl Stand, drawing a little more attention from everyone as I walk there and having every eye on me by the time I have turned around to face the students again, the teachers looking at my back now.

"Morning everyone, I have the news Headmaster Dumbledore was hoping to give you all back on Wednesday morning. I know where Harry is – and I'm not telling." At this a lot of faces had started smiling, but those now look at me wide eyed and open mouthed. And to my relief do the twins, Chasers and Lee look quite genuine.  
"MR. WEASLEY! What do you mean, you're not telling?" McGonagall snaps and I smirk at her as I say: "I mean I'm his Secret Keeper, Professor." And I pull out the book that I have been carrying with me all week, opening the page that I marked as I say: "And according to this reference book, by sharing the secret, I made it stronger.  
Not in the way that an Organization might share the Secret with its members, mind you. I mean that I picked Katie, who has been keeping Angelina off of Harry's back ever since that incident in the second week of classes, to be **my** Secret Keeper and asked her to pick one person she trusted above all others and repeat the process.  
They did the same with one other and that happened another four times before the Seventh whispered a special phrase to me while we were both in the bathroom. He then made me his Secret Keeper and I went back to Katie. We have been repeating this process all week and now, as referenced in this book, the spell is at full power.

Oh, and Hermione, just so that you don't feel left out or anything, I just didn't pick you because you'd be the first everyone would think I'd pick if, by accident, I did reveal that this was going on before the spell was full power. Didn't want to be too obvious as, let's face it, we care too much for each other. That's both a strength and a weakness."  
The girl nods, smiling at me in grateful relief and wiping away the tears of hurt that had been shining in her eyes. "Mr. Weasley, why –?" Dumbledore tries, but I had put the book back in my bag while talking to Hermione and just hold up the Map, the man gasping in shock as he sees it. I smirk at him and then turn to Umbridge as I say:  
"Guess it's a little addictive, Professor. So sorry – well, no, not really." The woman glares at me foully, but considering what she has been putting Harry through before this happened, do I just not care. I then turn back to the students at large and say: "Just so you all know, we are currently with 256 in this very Great Hall."  
And then, while I know they want to do it too, am I the only one to pull out my wand and I cast: _"Homenum Revelio."_ Causing for the majority of the school to shudder in their seats before I say: "Yep, 256 in total." And I spare another glance at Dumbledore as I put my wand away again, the man's eyes saying it all.

While the others are wondering why I pulled out an old bit of parchment and while I feel I need to know just how many people there are in a room, does Dumbledore know. He knows that I am aware of the curse on the Map and of the fact that Order members have been secretly following my best friend as well as myself.  
The warning that that time and those chances are now officially over has been received and while I walk back to my seat, knowing I will have to explain this a little further in detail to Hermione later, do I also wonder something. "How long until I will have to make a trip to London? Is mum going to think she can make me reveal the secret?"  
But while I never thought I'd have to choose between my best friend and my own mother, do I also know that I have already made my choice several days ago and that there is no turning back now. Harry needs to be kept safe and if that means I need to protect him from those who would violate his rights, so be it.  
"I'm his best friend, after all. And I made a similar mistake myself not even a year ago. Not going to do that a second time. No, this is my chance to prove that I really am Padfoot to Harry being Prongs, not Wormtail – like my disgusting former pet." And with that do I motion for Hermione to follow me out of the Great Hall.

* * *

 _ **Well done, Ron.  
**_ _ **Yeah, next chapter is going to be about Ron going to London and explaining the full story to his parents and a few members of the Order. Expect a confrontation or two and don't expect Ron to come out losing those. This is going to be a story completely based on people relearning what morals are all about and their value.  
**_ _ **Let's do this,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


	3. Meetings Of Conflict

_**Hey everyone,  
**_ _ **So just a warning ahead of time. This chapter is going to bash the following characters: Hermione Granger, Albus Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Dolores Umbridge and a slight bashing of Alastor Moody and Molly Weasley, though the latter two will be constructive instead of all-out negative.  
**_ _ **Be warned!**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 03  
**_ _ **Meetings Of Conflict**_

 _ **14**_ _ **th**_ _ **of October 1995  
**_ _ **Dumbledore's Office, Hogwarts  
**_ _ **Ron's POV**_

The last hour has been really annoying. While I expected Hermione to be slightly against the decision made by Harry and myself, did I not expect her to continuously try to convince me to tell Dumbledore where Harry was, even when I told her exactly why Harry and I decided on this course of action, to the most intricate detail.  
The girl didn't see the fact that adults were hiding themselves to guard/spy on minors as something important and thought that Dumbledore knew what he was doing, yet I had glared at her and snapped: "And if Tonks, my mum, Hestia and other female members guarded/spied on you, Parvati and Lavender? Would you still be so callous about this?"  
The girl had been shocked at being called callous and I glared at her as I say: "You don't see the problem, Hermione, because it's not happening to you. You're not the one who feels violated, who feels as if his rights mean nothing to those who he's supposed to respect. But what is there to respect – if it doesn't go both ways?"

The girl hadn't been able to form a cohesive answer and had tried to go back to her usual argument: "Dumbledore –." But I had snapped: "Is human and can make mistakes! Just because he's older than us does not always make him wiser or better!" And this had been something the girl obviously didn't want to believe.  
I rolled my eyes at this and snapped: "Hermione, I feel that you're being stupid – and I'm usually the dumb one of us. You have had Quirrell, Lockhart, Crouch, Umbridge and even Snape from time to time to prove you that adults aren't always right, that they're not saints, that they aren't infallible – and you're still siding with the wrong ones."  
"Then who am I supposed to side with? Umbridge?" The girl had shrieked, but I had coldly retorted: "No, your friends." And the girl had been left speechless, just as Pig had flown in with a note, telling me that Dumbledore wanted to see me. And the way that his note had underlined the words _national_ and _family importance_ had said it all.

"That actually went faster than expected." I think to myself as I head for the Headmaster's office, having actually come up with a pretty clever excuse to anyone who will probably ask where I suddenly disappeared off to. _Dumbledore told me that the pressure of the Ministry is causing strive between my parents and he wants my help.  
_ This is, of course, an excuse that anyone who knows my family knows is utter dragon dung, but I also know that if this excuse reaches people like Umbridge, she will devour it with gusto and believe it in a second. Hermione had looked at me strangely when I gave the excuse to a First Year, but I had just winked at her, telling her to catch on.  
And while part of me wonders if Harry will really return to all of the same friends he left behind when we put the spell up, do I know that it really doesn't matter. If Harry has to lose a few friends just because their loyalty isn't in the right place, so be it. Then my team and I just need to make sure he can fill those spaces with new, better friends.

And while I mentally go over a list of people who might fit this bill, Neville coming to mind right away thanks to how he's been growing into his own person this last month, do I notice that the gargoyle actually moves aside as I reach it without me needing to state any kind of password. And then I remember something.  
"Dumbledore didn't even write down a password, or even a hint to what it could be." I think with a dead look of annoyance on my face and it is this same look with which I enter the office. I turn my face to the man, who seems slightly unsettled at seeing it and then says: "Good of you to come, Mr. Weasley. Your parents await us."  
And he motions for a single red feather that lies upon his desk. "Clever Port Key." I think to myself, yet I also resent it as I have used this last week to go over all the ways that Harry's adventures could have been less hazardous and dangerous for him to go through these last few years and Second is the worst of them all.  
"His own phoenix can easily transport itself into the Chamber once someone loyal to him is there and he couldn't even bother to show up and help that person, while probably knowing that said person was a bloody twelve year old?" I think to myself, but I don't let this angering thought show on my face as I just put a finger to the feather.

Instantly I feel the usual, stomach-churning sensation that comes with a Port Key and, like always, it takes a lot out of me not to land on my face on the cold stone floor of the basement kitchen. I land on my foot, knee and one hand and scratch the latter up a little, but not enough to really hurt and I just wipe the pain away as I stand up.  
"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY! YOU TELL US WHERE HARRY IS RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" Is the first thing I hear when I turn to my mother, but while she has always scared me easily and made me want to cower, do I have something now that I didn't then. The determination and resolve of the other six filling me up from within.  
And mum instantly notices that I am not backing down or even looking slightly guilty or scared. I am just staring her down with an uncaring look and say: "I may have had a traitor for a pet, mum, but I am not one myself. Harry made me Secret Keeper, asked me to set up six others in exactly the way I explained the school and I did.  
And unlike Pettigrew, do I not feel like bowing down to someone else only a week after having done so. Besides, you might want to read that book I showed the school. It says that, once the spell is at full power, the ones that are all Secret Keepers share an emotional bond with each other, allowing them to keep each other strong."

The whole room looks shocked and I turn to my mother as I say: "You are definitely an intimidating presence, mum, especially when angry, but I'm not alone in this decision or this course of action. I have six other people, who all believe Harry should be **kept** _ **safe,**_ keeping me strong by sharing their resolve in all this with me."  
Everyone is looking at me, various looks of shock and amazement on their faces, yet I also notice that Sirius looks more intrigued than anything. Yet thanks to that empathy bond that I now share have I also learned to read people better and I easily spot it. Behind that intrigue is the pain of a man who feels he just lost his godson.  
"I'm really sorry, Sirius. It had to happen." I think and then decide to let the man know exactly why as I can only imagine how confused he feels over all this. Yet I also decide to prove him that, who he was to James, I am now to Harry. I smirk at him and say: "You know. I am willing to explain why – and have you to thank for all this, Sirius."

Now a strong sense of amusement is shown mixed with the intrigue on the man's face and yet Mum proves that her anger makes her irrational as she shouts: "SIRIUS! WHAT ON EARTH HAVE YOU DONE! YOU KNOW YOU'RE –." But I interrupt her and say: "I meant when he delivered your message about the club, mother."  
The woman instantly quiets down, looking at me in shock over having interrupted her and confusion over what I just said. I sit down at the table and say: "Allow me to explain. And for the Potter's sake, respect my rights and **don't** interrupt me." Sirius of course picks up on why I said what I did, but the others just sit down, confused.  
"When Sirius delivered to us your message of displeasure over our club, did he also tell us that the meeting had been overheard by Dung. Harry remembered that all up into Tuesday night, the night he decided on all this, and then realized it. Dung had been there – even **before** the meeting started, as if he knew we'd be there."  
Those around me are now looking a little unsure, but I plough on and say: "Harry made this realization while in the air and got lost in his own thoughts, scouring the grounds for what he knew would be an Order member _guarding_ him. And I use that term loosely because of all of the other realizations he, I and the rest of the team made.  
Like for example, that it was someone _guarding_ us at Hogwarts who told Dung about the meeting. Which meant that someone had been watching us for some time as Hermione decided that days before the weekend. Which meant that someone had been _guarding_ us, even when Harry was –." And here I turn to Dumbledore and growl:

"In **detention** _ **with**_ _ **Umbridge**_." And I make sure to put more and more angry emphasis on each word, yet the man doesn't even flinch, just looks at me, the usual twinkle not being there being the only indication that he is upset over this. And yet someone else proves that her moral code is ten times better than his.  
Tonks sighs and says: "You're right, Ron. And you're right to be upset. After Harry caught me in the changing rooms and after he called me that – that name, I felt so bad, so horrible, so guilty." Yet I decide to not only show her no pity, but explain exactly why Harry called her what he did to the rest of the seated group as I say:  
"As you should, Mss. I-can-change-my-appearance-at-will-however-I-want." Here Sirius turns to Tonks and asks: "So you saw my godson in a situation that the Guard duty was set up for in the first place – and _didn't_ use your changing skill to get him out of there without alerting or causing trouble for the Order. Really Dora?"  
The woman looks away from her cousin, who turns his own head away and shakes it as mum says: "Sirius, you don't even –." But I glare at her and snarl: "Don't, mum. Don't, unless you can tell me that you were never told what Harry went through when in detention with Umbridge. Because let me tell you one single thing."  
I turn to Sirius again at this and snap: "Even you would say that even Snape would not sink this low." And the man instantly sends me a curious look, but not one that says he disagrees with me and I turn from him to mum and snarl: "And besides, I thought Harry was like a son to you. So why aren't you defending his rights to be protected?"

The woman looks shocked and I turn to the group at large as I say: "And **that** is exactly why. Why Harry chose to use the Fidelius and why I refuse to break his trust. Because you lot already did that for me. You constantly tell him that he should be kept safe, that he should rely on the Order, that he should trust you guys."  
But at this, before any of them can do more than open their mouths a little, do I slam the Marauders Map on the table and snarl: "How can we, when you lot are committing criminal activity, breaking and entering into personal spaces and private rooms as well as the trunks that don't belong to you and casting unknown magic on personal artifacts?  
None of you have any ownership rights to this map or the Fifth Year Boys Dorm, not even the Headmaster as that's a violation of personal space and privacy. But that didn't stop any of you from going in there, breaking into Harry's trunk, taking this Map and then making it so that it no longer showed you following him."

" _Wait, what?"_ Sirius suddenly asks, his voice as dangerously low as it was when he had his argument with mum last summer and he instantly turns to Lupin, who shrinks away from the glare as he snarls: "The only one I know who could have that kind of ability – outside that traitor – is you, Remus, so care to explain this one?"  
"Harry has a temper. It –.""And that temper wouldn't have shown itself if Harry, from day one, got evidence that he had someone to turn to if things got rough. Like, I don't know, a friend of his late father?" Now Lupin really shrinks down, looking as if Sirius just slapped him with a cane in the neck or something.  
"SIRIUS!" Mum shouts, but I am not going to let her and shout: "WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF MCGONAGALL CURSED MY BROOM TO TURN AWAY FROM WHEREVER THE ORDER WAS GUARDING ME! WOULDN'T YOU BE JUST AS ANGRY WITH HER?" And this again leaves the woman speechless.

"See, that's your lot's problem! You get angry when people point out what you did wrong, but when it concerns Harry, you try to defend what you did wrong till the Founders get revived. You don't give one bleeding rat's tail about him, his rights or the fact that you are walking all over those all willy nilly without a care in the world."  
"It's not as if the Death Eaters will care for rights once the war starts, lad." Moody callously tells me, finally saying something while he has, until now, just been standing in the corner, observing us all with his special eye. But I stare into both his magical and normal eye without flinching, not even caring for how they look combined and say:  
"One, we're not at war yet, so that little excuse is bloody invalid. Two, I thought we were supposed to _oppose_ Death Eaters, especially if we were once – or still are – working for the Auror force. Telling potential Death Eater victims how they can get their rights crushed and their lives taken is one thing, actively doing it yourself."

I leave the sentence hanging, just staring at the two eyes once again, silently relying a lot on the bond I share with the other six to keep my nerves at bay and after several tense minutes, the man grins, which looks really creepy and says just one word: "Touché." And just by the look in his normal eye do I know I got him on my side.  
I then turn back to the rest of the group, some of them looking at Moody in shock, as if they can't believe that he is agreeing with me, and I glare each of them into looking back at me as I state: "And that is why I will **not** reveal the secret of Harry's location. Not only will it matter nothing, because of the six others.  
I also have no interest in becoming Pettigrew the Second or in letting Harry out in a world where there is little to no difference between the Light and the Dark. Where the border between the two and what they actually believe in is so small you're led to believe an army of Hogwarts students hit it with the Shrinking Charm or something.  
I have my reasons, personal, factual and otherwise, to keep my mouth shut and if you lot had cared a little more about Harry's rights instead of just fueling your own egos by saying _we're doing good. We're keeping Harry safe. We do what Harry needs us to do._ And whatever else kind of nonsense, I wouldn't have needed to do this.  
So you can ask _are you really siding with Harry? Choosing him over us? Over the Order? Over your own mother?_ " And here I look at mum, showing her how much I just don't like that this is happening before I say: "My answer? Yes. Because I and my six are the only ones Harry has. The only ones – that he trusts."

And with that, and another look at Sirius to prove that he too is included in that group and that I feel sorry for him for having lost his chance with Harry like this, do I move back to where the feather lies and silently count down after having picked it up. And while I am not entirely sure, do I feel relieved when it indeed Port Keys me back.  
I return to Dumbledore's office and before any of the portraits can hound me with questions or the man can come in to try and persuade me, do I just head for the door, slamming it close as I release some of the pain and anger I personally feel, especially over the fact that I **am** indeed forced to pick here. Pick between mother and brother.  
"Mum would die for us, I would die for her, but that doesn't mean I am not willing to die to protect my little brother." I think as I storm down the staircase, knowing that my angry tears will just further feed the story of the whole argument between my parents and at the same time not really caring for it as I just run across the grounds.

* * *

 _ **Poor Ron.  
**_ _ **Yeah, being a Secret Keeper, because your own side can't be trusted, is probably much harder than being a Secret Keeper to someone who is being endangered by the opposite side – though I doubt Peter saw it that way. And Ron**_ _ **isn't**_ _ **Peter, as I hope to have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt with this chapter.  
**_ _ **And don't worry, he and Sirius are both going to get a very welcome relief next chapter, though Sirius won't come in right away. I am thinking of putting down a confrontation between him and Lupin, but that's not for much later, near the end before the Great Battle to take down Voldemort. It will happen, though.  
**_ _ **I guarantee,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


	4. Secret Messages And Funny Shocks

_**Hey everyone,  
As you've probably noticed, this story is going REALLY quick. Instead of staying on one day for numerous chapters – like I'm doing with several of my CR stories such as Preventing – we're making small time-jumps every now and then to keep the story going. And this chapter is going to be absolutely no different.  
**_ _ **Also, I am aware that Article 13 has been accepted by the European Parliament - or whatever - but I do not care, at least not yet. This whole act is not going to count for us for another two years, so until then I am going to continue posting updates every month. At least until as many of these stories are completed. Though I am hesitant to start new stories because of this as well, sorry.**_ _ **  
**_ _ **Let's keep going,**_

 _ **Venquine1990  
Shout-Outs To:  
Aradia1967  
Jostanos  
Shadow Wolf 15864  
V.L. Crawford  
Tyler'sPrincess  
Starhoney  
Wishfull-Star  
Millie072  
Geetac  
Kirsty21**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 04  
**_ _ **Secret Messages And Funny Shocks**_

 _ **16**_ _ **th**_ _ **of October 1995  
**_ _ **Great Hall, Hogwarts  
**_ _ **Ron's POV**_

"Pig?" Is the first thing I ask as suddenly, out of nowhere, my new owl – that Sirius got me after Scabbers turned out to be Pettigrew and fled – arrives, landing on the table right in front of my plate and hooting incessantly, yet I can't for the life of me see why he'd be here. That is until I take a closer look at him.  
Wrapped around one of his claws, looking like a wet and greyed out bandage, is actually a bit of a newspaper and I quickly make sure to unwrap it, Pig flying up and doing his usual laps around my head, that he always does when he feels he's successfully delivered something, before flying off to the Owlery with the other Owls.  
And because everyone now knows that I am one of the seven only people to know where the famous hero, Harry Potter, is do I of course have all eyes on me, the eyes of those I know are in the Order, desperate with the need to know what I just received and Umbridge and a few others looking dangerously hungry.  
Neither look makes me feel any better and the fact that Hermione and I haven't been able to come to an agreement – not even agreeing to disagree – over the weekend isn't helping and makes me once more rely on the bond I now have with my brothers, team mates and Lee as I unroll the little bit of paper and read the single sentence

 _I'm sorry for bugging you._

I make sure to read the sentence out loud, not just in the hopes that someone might get what it means, but also to get those with the uncomfortable stares to buzz off. They do indeed shrink back, their desperation and hunger turning to confusion and annoyance and I frown myself, knowing it's some kind of code, but not getting it.  
"Hey!" I yell as suddenly Hermione rips it out of my hand and says: "It's obviously a code, Ron. Like the Map. You probably need your wand and tap it while you say it." But while I glare at her superior tone, do I snap: "And people wonder why Harry left. Can't even bother asking if you could give your theory a try, huh?"  
The girl cringes and I take this chance to take the paper back out of her hands, glaring at her to prove I'm not done being angry with her yet. I then pull out my own wand and do as she advised/patronized me, but nothing happens. The newspaper – or better said, the tiny strip of it – remains unchanged and so do the words.

"So much for that theory.""Guess it really is just a coded line.""Meant to reveal some kind of hidden message.""Nothing more." The twins chorus at the end, yet the bond that we now share has another benefit. The twins may look alike from their hair to their toes, but the level of their emotions and which ones varies quite a bit.  
George is much more determined, whereas Fred has a sense of loyalty his twin can't even think to try and rival. Thanks to this, do I now feel much more confident in keeping the two apart, but for the sake of keeping their identities as Keepers a secret, do I keep up the charade of being confused as to which one is which, to our joined amusement.  
I then pull out the Map and make sure to put the little bit of parchment between it, only to growl at Hermione as her hand suddenly appears above it. The girl reels back and I ask: "You just really don't learn at all, do you? Now what do you want?" The girl looks near tears, but I don't let down, just glaring her into answering.

"I just thought – considering the Map shows – that maybe –." But at this I send the shortest of glares at Dumbledore and then snap: "Come with me. And sorry, but Harry would have thought ahead and known that people might think that. He knew he had to go somewhere outside of the Map's borders for his hiding plan to work."  
The girl nods and quietly follows me out of the Great Hall, the stares that follow me as we do this really unnerving me and making me wonder how I ever thought that Harry could cope with this kind of attention constantly on him. "I really never gave him enough credit. That kid had a level of patience that is out of this bloody world."  
I think as I make sure to take Hermione several floors and rooms away from the Great Hall and also cast the _Homenum Revelio_ spell before casting a few extra privacy charms on the door, even if the revealing spell, again, came up with the acceptable results. "Why do you keep doing that?" Hermione asks, timidly and confused.

"Because I don't like my rights violated without my knowledge." I tell her and the girl frowns at this before I say: "Hermione, there's another reason I knew that your idea was wrong. The Map – is another reason Harry left." The girl looks at me, confused and befuddled and I say: "Lupin cursed it, sometime this year.  
The Map doesn't show the Order following us, because they were afraid of Harry's temper and didn't think he'd appreciate people following him. They didn't believe that he might appreciate the fact that he had someone watching over him. That he might appreciate the knowledge he had someone to go to in secret if things became hard.  
Hermione, what does that say about the actual purpose behind them _guarding_ Harry, especially if you take Tonks, who is both an Auror and – more importantly – a Metamorphmagus, and Umbridge and her detentions into account? Cause she herself voiced the answer to that during my meeting with them back last weekend.  
She herself admitted that she could have changed her looks, come up with some simple alibi, that even I can think up right here and now, and take Harry out of the room and away from that quill **without** revealing or risking the secrecy and existence of the Order. She could have done her guard duty, they all could – **and should** – have.

That, combined with the fact that they are _guarding_ Harry in the one space he only has Seamus for a hardship, probably even when we are all asleep and the fact that they broke into his trunk to take and enchant his Map against his will or without his permission. Those aren't acts that they should be committing, Hermione.  
Those are illegal, should make them want to arrest or report themselves, could see them lose their jobs if it comes out – and makes me wonder what the heck we're fighting for anyway? People that prove they're willing to do the same criminal stuff Death Eaters do? A border between Good and Evil so small, you need Ollivander glasses to see it?  
Hermione, if now already – even before the war has begun – people are being this lax, this uncaring, this callous, then how can you be sure we won't get the same results as what happened in the last war, where in the end of it, you didn't even know who you could and couldn't trust. Because I don't know that even now."

The girl looks at me, silent tears running down her eyes and I turn my head away as I say: "I want to live, Hermione. I want to live, to fight, to win the war and have a happy life after that. But how can I, when my best friend has his rights violated, his stuff broken into and cursed and even I and the others have our privacy ignored?  
I get that you always held adults in high esteem and high regard, I grew up pretty much the same when it comes to my parents and Dumbledore. But I also grew up – or better said, I was forced to grow out of – that belief. And it was the adults, Hermione, the adults that I grew up holding in that high esteem, that made me grow out of it."  
I turn to her and say: "Adults will always deserve that little more respect and trust than you give to people your age, simply because they have seen things you haven't. But that doesn't mean they can't just as easily either abuse that trust and respect – aka Fudge and Percy – or commit actions that are supposed to warrant it, but don't.

And remember, I grew up with a Muggle nut for a father, so I do know a fair few Muggle catchphrases. And one of them? It sums up everything the Order's doing." But before I can continue trying to explain this to her, does she prove me she really is brilliant as she says: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."  
She sighs and whimpers: "And they're walking it." I look down myself and whisper: "And that scares me. More than Umbridge, Fudge's bloody madness or even You – Voldemort.""Ron?" Hermione whimpers, making me look up at her and she cries: "Is there any good news? Any at all?" Her eyes begging me to answer positive.  
Yet I shrug, not because I don't care, but simply because I don't know what else to do as I say: "There is. Harry seems capable of staying in contact with us without me sensing anything bad happening to the Fidelius Charm, not that I'm going to tell a soul how he does that, mostly because I'm not even entirely sure myself."  
The girl nods and I go on: "That and there are actually members of the Order who are – or might in due time – see the error of their ways. Tonks, like I said, admitting to her mistake of not stepping in when she should have and even Moody admitted that what the Order was doing was wrong, regardless of the War being on the horizon.  
Sirius, of course, fully sides with us as he'd do anything to see Harry safe and while I could tell that he was hurt over this further implicating his chances of being there for Harry, was he also happy. He was happy, Hermione, because it made him content to know that Harry was really safe, because he knew I'm not my former pet."

The girl smiles at me and I go over to give her a warm hug, not just wanting to give myself a bit of reassurance, but wanting to show her that I am still there for her and I say: "It might be true that we are going through similar crap as we probably will have to go through when the war starts, but that doesn't mean **we** have to lose ourselves.  
We just got to watch out that we don't and make sure that those we care about either don't or that they change their tune when they do. And that might not be easy, but – hey, since when has anything been easy since we met Harry? Or did you forget that one time in First when I wondered what having a normal life was like?"  
The girl looks startled and then starts giggling before she laughs hard and loud, proving she is losing her hold on her own emotions. Yet I don't care for this as I went through something similar to this after coming back from the meeting and when she comes down, do I ask: "Ready to help me give Harry a world that is worth coming back to?  
When it's safe for him to do so, that is." The girl nods and I can see it in her eyes. This is the girl that sweettalked Hagrid for information on the Stone. The girl that snuck into Snape's cabinets to get secret potion ingredients. That snitched on a teacher because she worried for her friend. Who stood by Harry when I didn't.  
I smile at her and we head into classes together, sitting side by side and sharing a look that says it all; we know that there are problems with ourselves and others and we are going to do everything we can to fix those, so Harry **does** have a world worth coming back to. And with that do we start our classes for the day.

 _ **The next morning  
**_ _ **17**_ _ **th**_ _ **of October 1995**_

There were a few students who tried to question us about why we were nigh unfindable after leaving the Great Hall, but Hermione is now 100% on team Harry and team Privacy and she kept mum, regardless of who asked, only coldly stating: "What I talk about with my friends is my business." And leaving it at that.  
This, to my relief and delight, did make a few students cringe and look guilty, proving that not everyone here is suffering from a bad case of non-existent morals, but not everyone did and some tried to push her even harder. But I softly push my shoulder against hers, grab her hand or arm or look her in the eye and this helps her keep strong.

Even under the strenuous gazes of either Umbridge during DADA and the Order staff during dinner, did the girl just keep her face aimed the other way and I encouraged Neville to engage her into a constant stream of conversations to make sure she can keep her focus on him and away from their incessant staring.  
Now it's the next morning and, like has been happening ever since last year, does a barn owl land in front of Hermione with the Daily Prophet. And while I want to shrug it off as just another daily occurrence, do I suddenly realize something as I hear that newspaper wrinkle as she folds it open and scours it for new info.  
I look at the paper, trying my hardest not to let my shock or my realization show on my face. Instead of that, do I just focus on my own food, my love for this making it easier for me not to let anyone onto what just happened, but I do whisper: "Keep it, take it with you." To Hermione from the corner of my mouth before taking a bite.  
Hermione's eyes turn my way for just a few second before she takes a sip of her glass. And the way she moves her head as she does, makes me smile as it's a nod that can only be noticed if someone pays attention. And by now the teachers have learned their lesson and are just focusing on the hall in general instead of just me.

We finish our breakfast and head outside, me feeling glad beyond words that our first class is Herbology as it's really easy to find a quiet spot near the Greenhouses before class. We find such a spot just a few feet away from the doors to the Greenhouse, situated so that we can see the others arrive, but they can't see us.  
"I just realized it. The reason behind Harry sending me that note the other day. The message behind it. It's in more than just the line itself. It's in the material." I whisper mutter at her, but Hermione looks confused and I smirk as I whisper: "It's been a week since Harry left. How is he able to get his hands on a paper – while in hiding?"  
The girl looks shocked, her mouth dropping more and more and her eyes almost bulging out of her sockets and I read the line again. " _ **Bugging**_. Ugh, of course. That's the hint. Bugging refers to Rita Skeeter, who we know is nothing but a liar. Harry is lying to us. He's not at his location anymore. He's somewhere else."

"But – but – but –." And instantly I spot the warning sign and cast a privacy charm as quickly as I can, right as Hermione shrieks: "BUT WHY WOULD HE DO THIS? WHY WOULD HE LIE TO US? AND WHERE IS HE?" I shrug and say: "Don't know. I mean, I might have an idea, but that's only as to why, not where."  
This, unfortunately, isn't true as I'm sure that – Harry being the daredevil that he is and taking after his godfather like he sometimes does – Harry is exactly where I think he is, but I also know that, even now, Hermione won't be able to control herself and **will** report to the teachers if she gets the chance and she asks:  
"So? Why do you think he did it?" And I say: "Either one of two reasons. Or maybe even both. Having people think he's under Fidelius will open a lot of doors for him, because no one will look for him, thinking him in hiding somewhere, which will make him less likely to be spotted, even if he enters public areas."  
The girl nods and yet her look inquires me and I say: "The other? He doesn't like the idea of staying away from Sirius. Of taking Sirius the chance to not be with him anymore. Though seeing Harry's reluctance to have Sirius come over during the Hogsmeade weekend and his distrust of so many Order members right now –."

The girl nods and says: "It's probably more the former rather than the latter. Especially considering that, with people thinking he's hiding, they'll be less likely to give him a hard time or even talk down on him in public. So even people that support the Ministry right now are less likely to do something if they do spot Harry suddenly.  
Harry finally has the chance he always wanted, to walk among the wizarding world and become one with it. He – he just needed to disappear – to truly become part of its population. He had to be pushed into hiding before people would finally give him and his fame a rest." I nod at her, even if I'm sure I partially lied to her just now.

And that same night, even though Umbridge has yet to give Gryffindor permission to reinstate the Quidditch team, do I manage to let the seven know we need to meet. And we again do it in the twins' room, me and the girls making sure to cast the _Homenum Revelio charm_ when leaving our dorms and when they enter the common room.  
We encounter no one and when we are sure we are alone in the twins' dorm – Lee actually now sharing a bed with Katie as the two have actually realized they like each other while acting to be dating and now dating for real – do I show them the hugest of grins before I say: "We're being decoys. Harry is an outright genius."

The group shares a confused look and then smirks at me as I show them the scrap of parchment and I ask: "It's from a newspaper. How is Harry able to get such a thing, when that would be noticed by anyone paying attention the way the teachers currently are, when he's supposed to be in hiding under the Fidelius Charm?  
I mean, even Dobby wouldn't dare risk that, don't you think?" The group looks shocked and Lee asks: "So, he's not at – the location? Then where is he?" And I snicker: "Probably with Sirius, even if it's only to say goodbye. I do think Harry will go back to the location and stay there once he's done that, but – until then –."

The group nods and I go on: "But Hermione also knows this, though she doesn't think it's because of this reason. I told her another, also quite valid reason. I said that, with everyone thinking Harry is in hiding, no one would look for him, so he'll have an easier time blending in. He can finally be just another wizard and he's doing so."  
The group shares another look and Angelina says: "That does sound like how Harry would think, even if he would never risk his friends or try to do it without them like this." I shrug and say: "That's for Hermione to realize. I just told her this to make sure she doesn't feel inclined to tell the teachers. It worked on her sympathy for him."  
The others grimace at this and I shrug, but grimace as well and say: "I don't like it, but Hermione is still too dependent on the teachers. If she is triggered just the wrong way, she'll tip back to them instead of us. And until their side becomes as morally strong as we are, that's just not a risk I am willing to take, not for Harry."

The group nods and the twins say: "You know, McGonagall actually held us back after class, because she felt sure we were two of the Secret Keepers. We actually told her she was wrong. Yeah, we know we lied, but we used the story to do so. You know, each Keeper picking one person they trust the most. Katie knows others besides us."  
I nod at this and say: "I kind of figured you guys would be suspected. I doubt it'll be long before Alicia and Angelina are questioned.""To be honest, it's surprising we haven't been questioned yet. I think the reason they are and we're not – is because we're just closer to Katie. It probably threw them off, at least at first."  
I nod at this deduction and then yawn as constantly meeting here at night does tire me out and I say: "Get ready to be held back as well. And be careful to make sure that it's not Umbridge who does so. The Order teachers might not have their morals all on right, but she is and stays a nasty piece of work with no morals whatsoever."  
The others all nod at this and after a few goodbyes, Lee and Katie actually pecking each other on the cheek as they do, do we all return to our dorm. And I make sure that mine has the right number of members and that Dean, Seamus and Neville are asleep, really asleep, before sneaking into my own bed, falling fast asleep.

* * *

 _ **Goodnight, Ron.  
**_ _ **Okay, I WANTED to add Sirius' bit to this, but the chapter was long enough, so I decided against it. Honestly, I didn't expect the chapter to be this long, but then, when thinking about this part, I didn't really flesh out the whole "Ron acquiring the scrap" bit. He just got it, the day after realized its message and relayed it.  
**_ _ **Anyway, while there was a great feels moment between Ron and Hermione this chapter – no, I'm not shipping them – expect a great feels moment between Harry and Sirius next chapter. GET YOUR MINDS OUT OF THE GUTTER! I only ever shipped those two once and I bloody well regret it with a passion and feel glad that that story is no longer on here.  
**_ _ **Seriously, folks,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


	5. Goodbye Sirius

_**Hey everyone,  
**_ _ **Hope you lot got your minds on straight this chapter. You're going to need them, because your hearts are going to be hit with the feels and hit with the feels hard. This is how I imagine James and Sirius would have spent their last moment together before the Fidelius went up in 81 and I'm going to touch on that in this chapter.  
**_ _ **Already tearing up here,**_

 _ **Venquine1990  
**_ _ **PS. Don't worry about the title, you know me better than that.  
Shout-Out To:  
Ginnylove9990  
Jostanos  
Cassandra30  
Wishfull-Star  
LadyPhoenix68  
V.L. Crawford  
Shadow Wolf 15846  
Kirsty21  
Kairan1979**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 05  
**_ _ **Goodbye Sirius**_

 _ **4**_ _ **th**_ _ **of November 1995  
**_ _ **Grimmauld Place, London  
**_ _ **Sirius' POV**_

It's been almost a month since Harry has disappeared and little under that since Ron admitted to the entire school that he was one of seven Secret Keepers. The fact that Harry is still gone is both painful as it makes me miss him even more and comforting as it proves that Ron really is everything Pettigrew should have been.  
Today is the Gryffindor-Slytherin match and while I have heard a lot of the Order members say that they are sure Harry will show up today for the match, do I know this isn't the case. There are too many sources at Hogwarts that Harry doesn't trust and I know his need to keep himself safe is stronger than his love for the sport.  
"He really is the better person in that than me." I think to myself as I hadn't been able to do the same back in the first year after I escaped. I sigh at this and just stay seated in the kitchen, listening to Molly as she worries for her kids as Ginny has, according to reports from McGonagall, now replaced Harry as the Gryffindor Seeker.

"Oh, if only Harry –." The woman mumbles, but I growl: "Harry's not coming back and Ron isn't going to betray him. Not until he and the other Secret Keepers are sure that they're not being spied on anymore. And I know how you see it, Molly, but that's how they see it. And the fact that it's still happening, how do you think they feel about that?"  
The woman grimaces as there are still reports coming in from Kingsley and Remus – or Lupin as I have started calling him since finding out about the Map and the enchantment he put on it behind Harry's back – that Ron has taught the others the _Homenum Revelio_ spell and that everyone Harry knew is now doing that.  
And yet I only find a sick sense of amusement in the stories the two tell me of when either Ron or someone else does it without them knowing and then reveals them. Needless to say, it proves that a lot of Harry's friends are taking lessons and buying products from Fred and George quite often as these two face these products almost every time.  
What I do feel proud of is that Tonks has stopped doing this, that she threatened both Kingsley and Dumbledore that she would go to Amelia about what she's done if they kept trying to convince her and that Alastor gave the two several monologuing speeches about morals and why Ron was right when he argued with him.

I look up at the clock and see that it's almost lunch time, while the match started half an hour after breakfast. This makes me wonder if the match is still going or over and then, as if my thoughts are being heard, does the fireplace ignite, the flames turn green and does Minerva step out, a weary look on her face.  
"Minerva, what happened?" Molly frets and I ask: "I take it Snape is going to be unbearable next meeting?" But the woman shakes her head and says: "No, we won. But Mr. Malfoy proved to be a very sore loser. He had Goyle send a Bludger at Mss. Weasley just because she swiped the Snitch right from under his nose after a chase.  
She's alright, but then he went one step further. He started insulting her, your family, even Potter and his family. The latter of the three almost did it and almost made your twin sons and young Ginny attack him, physically attack him, but – but then – I don't know your son anymore, Molly." And this really intrigues me.

"What – what do you mean?" Molly asks and Minerva sighs as she says: "I – I don't know how and – and somehow he did it _without_ giving Dolores any chance of tracing it back to him, but – he walked past Malfoy, said _you'll get your due_ and then summoned his siblings to take them with him and the girls into the Changing Rooms.  
And, as he closed the door to those rooms, Malfoy started having a blood nose, a fever and started puking all at the same time. And I _know_ that those are symptoms caused by your sons' candy, Molly, but Mr. Weasley was wearing robes and cloths without pockets and had his one hand on his broom and his other on his wand.  
And his wand came out clean. The last few spells were the summoning spell he used on his siblings, the revealing spell he cast before bed last night and the spell he studied in Charms as his last class yesterday. Nothing – absolutely nothing – other than him walking past Malfoy and saying that can implicate him.  
And yet, I know it wasn't him, because when they came out of the changing rooms, your other kids were storming out and were cursing him under their breaths. So whatever he told them after summoning in there, couldn't have anything to do with what happened to Mr. Malfoy. He really has all the evidence – in his favor."

By now Molly is looking shocked and I have my head leaning on my hand with my elbow on the table and am smirking at the two as I say: "In other words, McGonagall, he is everything you saw me be when I was his age, yet also everything you _wanted_ me to be when I was his age. A Prankster, but one who is untouchable."  
"Sirius – eh – Lord Black, seeing your past, seeing how you know so much about other pranksters. How do you think he did this?" McGonagall asks, referring to my title as I am still waiting on an apology from her for leaving Harry to Umbridge's horrors, even though the _Guards_ told her what they didn't tell Molly or me.  
I shrug and say: "No idea, McGonagall and I am being 100% honest. I might have to see the memory of that event to get a better idea, but otherwise, just going by your report, I really wouldn't know. Like I said, Ron is something I never got to be; he's untouchable. I think his need to be a good Secret Keeper is making him cautious like this.  
That is all the explanation I can give.""So you do believe he was responsible?" Molly asks and I answer: "Ron is, very obviously, taking his role as Secret Keeper more seriously than anything else he has had in life. That means he has the Potters, Harry especially, in ultimate high regards. He will not take a slight against them lying down."

The two nod and I sigh as I say: "Well, now that I know that the match is over, I'm going to take a nap. Excuse me, ladies.""You don't want to celebrate the victory?" McGonagall asks shocked and I answer: "I could ask the same of you, McGonagall, but then again, you're here and not partying with your lions, so yeah.  
The woman grimaces and excuses herself as I head up. Yet while I have been keeping calm and amused, did I really not like hearing that Ginny had been the one chasing the Snitch with Malfoy instead of Harry, even though I knew that he wouldn't be at the match or taking his spot as Seeker back, at least not yet.  
But the knowledge that, at every meeting, I constantly hear the same news; that Ron is keeping his mouth shut, that they only suspect certain people for the other Six Secret Keeper, but that no one is coming forward, that Harry has yet to be found, that there aren't any places where they thought Harry could be no longer visible; does hurt.

It increases the sense inside me that makes me miss my pup, even more than I did when he got onto that Hogwarts Express, and so I have resorted to something I know that, if Molly were to catch me, she would either rant at me over it or actually pity me. And I really don't care for her enough to desire either of those things happening.  
I have had Kreacher take the comforter off of Harry's bed before Molly could put them through a cleaning and now have that up in my room, his scent still very strong on it, even if it's no longer fresh. And the fact that this thing hasn't been cleaned in almost two months making it smell quite bad, but I don't care for this.  
I just falter at the threshold of Harry's room like I do from time to time and look up the staircases to the top floor where my own room is, where Harry's blanket is, and sigh before breathing in. But as I do this, does something catch my attention. The scent of my pup – too strong to be real seeing as how I'm not in my room yet.

I turn to his room and push myself against it, going down to the slit between the door and the floor and take another deep whiff, my heart skipping a beat when that same scent of fresh green fields and treacle hits my sensitive nostrils. I shoot up and rip the door open, my mouth dropping at what I see is in there.  
"You sure took longer than I thought." Harry says, smirking at me while sitting up on his bed, looking just like he did the day I saw him in the Gryffindor common room before our conversation was cut short. "I – I thought – Ron – isn't he?" I stutter, but then yelp when, after taking a step closer, the door shuts behind me.  
I look behind me and notice some strange kind of magic covering the door. I turn back and Harry says: "To clear up your confusion. Yes, Ron is my Secret Keeper. No, I am not telling you where I first decided to hide. I hid here in this room because I knew no one would search for me here. And I decided on this – for you."

This makes my heart skip another beat and then Harry stops smiling, a serious, pained look suddenly on his face and he asks: "Sirius, how did he do it? How did dad say goodbye to you, knowing he wouldn't be seeing you again for a long time, because he'd be in hiding?" And just this question explains everything.  
Harry has been making everyone believe he was under the Fidelius somewhere, but has been hiding in here, so he could say goodbye to me before he would _actually_ hide himself under the Fidelius. I feel my heart breaking at this, but then sigh and say: "He didn't. Neither of us did. We couldn't, even though we knew we should have.  
It – it's the whole reason I haven't been to visit his grave yet. Because that – that would mean I'd – I'd have to do what I couldn't back then." Harry nods and I move over to where he's standing. Yet as I do so, do I pass Phineas' portrait and this makes me falter and look at it, shocked and confused as to how Harry pulled this off.

"My help put a recording spell on this room for an hour before I came here and then put that recording spell, on repeat, on the frame, making it so that whoever this is, only hears what that recording recorded over and over." Harry smirks and this makes me look at the boy, shocked at how genius he pulled that off.  
"And that while he doesn't even seem to know who that portrait actually belongs to – or where the other one is stationed and what that could mean." And this reminds me of the prank Ron just pulled on Malfoy, but then I realize it and ask: "Harry, this – this help of yours.""I am not telling you, Sirius, I want to keep some secrets."  
I shake my head, not even believing for a second that the boy means that he doesn't trust me and I say: "I don't care for that, pup, I just wanted to ask something else. Is this help, by any chance, helping Ron as well?" But Harry just shrugs, his face not betraying anything and I think: "Does he not know – or is he trying to throw me off?"

Yet I decide not to care and just close the rest of the distance as I ask: "I won't be seeing you for a while after this, will I? Not even for Christmas, I assume?" Harry's eyes tear up, but he shakes his head and says: "We – we might try to – to take you to my hiding place then, but – I can't come here, Sirius, not again, after this."  
I nod at him, even though I really feel as if I am back in time, as if I am standing on the entrance of the front yard of the Potter cottage, as if I am looking up in the hazel eyes of my best friend and the emerald green eyes of his wife, not the same green eyes of my orphaned godson. I shake my head and sigh as I think: "Not going to make the same mistake."  
And with that do I pull the boy into the warmest, strongest hug my healing frame and form can muster, tears falling onto my shoulder as Harry hugs me with a strength that almost rivals Molly's, yet feels stronger and more heartfelt. I really want to stay in this embrace, just stay standing here like this, but know that that's not safe.

And so, once I am sure that I have absolutely memorized every last bit of this embrace and Harry's form to heart and mind, do I step back, wiping both my own teary eyes and the tear tracks that are running down Harry's face before I whisper: "Stay safe, pup. I'll be seeing you." Yet I leave out when that might be.  
Harry nods, but stays standing and I realize that he is not going to leave until I have left the room. This makes my heart heavy and weary and I think: "This is actually harder than what happened that night." But I still turn my back on him, knowing I can't see him when I want to give him the chance to leave all this behind.  
And when I close the door behind me, do I hear something happening behind the closed door. I take a deep breath and open the door again, having expected it, but still hating how there is now an empty space where Harry was. And to make matters worse are there large amounts of dust and cobwebs everywhere throughout the room.  
"Proof that this room has been untouched since they left. Damn you, Harry." I think as I try not to storm up to my own bedroom, glad beyond words that Molly is now expecting me in my own room. And yet this time, upon entering, do I not reach for the blanket, I wrap my own form around my pillow and cry in loss and pain.

 _ **The next day  
**_ _ **5**_ _ **th**_ _ **of November 1995  
**_ _ **Great Hall, Hogwarts  
**_ _ **Ron's POV**_

The twins and Ginny were brilliant. While they actually showed to have a lesser hold on their temper than I usually do, did I manage to pull them into the changing room after Malfoy made that disgusting insult about Harry and his mother. The two wanted to turn on me, but I just muttered three words at them: "Thank you, Dobby."  
And the smirk that was on my face told them everything. I had then laid it into them and said: "Listen, I can't be held responsible for this. I can't be considered the one who did this. Yes, I told Malfoy he'd get his due, but nothing else can be held against me about this. So when you three leave this room, do it in a raging fury.

Do **not** give any indication that I told you what I actually did, that I just revealed to you how I got back at that sore loser. Just pretend that we are angry with each other. If anything, that will make the others wonder even more if one of you is one of the other Six." And while I don't like revealing this to Ginny, do I know where her loyalty lies.  
She, more than anyone else I taught the revealing charm to, has been proving what she thinks of the _guards_ Dumbledore now has following us in the hopes that we will reveal who the Secret Keeper is or where Harry can be found. But I already knew he'd do that and have been casting the spell almost every time I'm supposed to be alone.  
Ginny had looked at the two and they had chorused: "It's called Karma, sis." The girl nodding to prove she understood why they lied when people asked if they were Secret Keepers before I had shrugged and asked: "Besides, what use is a Secret Keeper if he can't even keep his own position and role a secret.  
I just revealed mine to cause a little divide and conquer, to see who would agree and side with us, with the reason Harry left and who would have their egos obscure their actual moral strength. I just came up with that _Asked Katie to pick someone and have them pick someone_ story to make sure everyone Harry knew would be seen as a potential Seeker.

That way, if a Keeper was actually found, they'd be able to answer the same as someone who wasn't a Keeper. Though that Hermione hasn't figured it out yet, though she herself has all the information she needs kind of astounds me." The girl had wanted to know more, but I told her: "Not now. Change and storm out. We need to get this done."  
And while I know that she will expect me to tell her this information later, do I plan to keep mum about it until she confronts Hermione. Personally I want them to find it out together, if only so I can properly test them. Because if they realize it and Hermione choses to reveal this info to Dumbledore, will I know she is no real friend.

Yet so far Ginny hasn't really cared for this and the party that was thrown over Gryffindor's victory is probably part of the reason behind it. And while I have little doubt that there will be another party today, do I get a shock for the second time in little under a month. Pig, my owl, flies in yet again and again looks as if he has nothing to deliver.  
That is, until I look closer and notice that, with a bit of floss string, there is a miniature broom model attached to his claw. I undo the floss and pick up the model, wondering why Harry would – and then I spot it. Burn marks and a few very, very tiny twigs at the end of the broom that look signed as if they got too close to a fire.  
"Or a dragon's flame. This isn't a miniature model; it's Harry's actual broom." I think and I say: "His Firebolt." And while I had the broom lying in my open palm, does this seem to be the magic word as suddenly the broom rises from my hand, rises up to my eye height and then starts to fly furious circles back and forth in front of me.  
And to make matters even crazier, does it seem as if Harry enchanted his broom with a sound spell as the buzzing of fly wings are heard very clearly while the broom flies like this. I quickly make sure to catch the broom, wondering why Harry would go through this kind of effort to send me the gift he got from his Godfather.

And then I realize it and instantly it all fits. "Harry's back in the Shack. He's back under the Fidelius. Sirius finally found him back at London and they said goodbye. This is Harry's way of telling me I can –." And the grin of malicious enjoyment that grows on my face probably makes those that are now watching me feel very uncomfortable.  
I stand up, put the broom in my pocket and walk back to the Owl stand, more and more eyes now following me just like it did the day I told them all that Harry was hidden under the Fidelius. I come to stand before the Owl stand and notice how some are looking curious, others awkward and know it's because of my smile still being the way it is.

I don't care for this and say: "Greetings and good morning, everyone. I have an update onto Harry's condition for you. And Professor Snape, I am proud to tell you that you are right, Harry really is _just_ like his father." The man looks startled that I addressed him and I almost laugh as I say: "Hogwarts, you got pranked."  
Shock and confusion ring through the hall and I ask: "You remember the last time I got something from my owl? That little bit of paper that had only a single sentence on it? That was written – on a scrap of a newspaper. And people who are under the Fidelius – are not supposed to be able to receive the Daily Prophet."  
The confusion is clearing up and being replaced by more shock, but I turn to the staff at large and say: "But whatever Harry wanted to do – probably be himself without people hogging, bugging, spying and following him consistently without giving him any privacy or breathing room, he has done so now – and gave me his broom.  
And I know that most – bar perhaps one – of you know **how much** Harry loves, adores and values his broom. So I think we all know what that means, what the message behind him doing so implies. Harry **is** now under the Fidelius and he is intending to stay there. So even though you probably could have looked for him this last month, no more.

And I have already proven to you all, by wide and large, that I am not going to say anymore on where Harry is or what I know about this. Fix the mistakes that made him decide to do this, because I have only one last thing to say. That which made my words of the other day come true – shares my sense of true, utter loyalty. Make from that what you want."  
And with that do I turn my back on them, move past the Owl Stand and walk out of the Great Hall by myself once more, wondering how Harry and Sirius got to say goodbye, but not letting this show on my face. And going by the bond I share with the other six, do I know that they don't care for this either, they are sticking to their guns.

* * *

 _ **Indeed, Ron.  
**_ _ **Okay, to be honest, I thought the match was at the end of October, but the fact that it was the first weekend of November really didn't change much, just the first sentence of the chapter. And I know that some of you would have wanted a more heartfelt goodbye, but I don't plan to keep them separate for years.  
**_ _ **Next chapter will cover another time jump and this will happen twice. However, while I have been keeping to cannon quite a bit this story, especially when it comes to when certain events – the practice and the match – happen, am I going to implement a little something into next chapter that is entirely non-canon.  
**_ _ **Let's do this,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


	6. Weekends And Frights

_**Hey everyone,  
**_ _ **This chapter isn't just going to cover one time-jump, it's going to cover two of them. And with the latter of the two, we are going to completely derive from canon. We are going to move away from the "where is Harry" plot and onto the "end the war" plot that I wanted to make part of this story. This means only one thing.  
**_ _ **This story is actually a lot shorter than I thought. Oh, don't expect Voldemort to be ended in chapter 07 or 08, there are still the Horcruxes to deal with and I still need to implement that whole "have Umbridge kill Voldemort" plan into the story and of course getting that set up will almost be a chapter in and of itself.  
**_ _ **Let's do this,**_

 _ **Venquine1990  
**_ _ **PS. This chapter was pre-written, hence the shorter lines per paragraph, sorry.  
Shout-Out To:  
Kairan1979  
ORKCHILD  
Cassandra30  
Yaw6113  
V.L. Crawford  
Ale74  
Wishfull-Star  
Jostanos  
Shadow Wolf 15846  
Sparhawk537  
Kirsty21**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 06  
**_ _ **Weekends And Frights**_

 _ **2**_ _ **nd**_ _ **of December 1995  
**_ _ **Hogsmeade, Scotland  
**_ _ **Ron's POV**_

The last several weeks have been both utterly hilarious and utterly annoying. Students and staff combined were shocked, amazed and baffled at the fact that Harry _might_ have been amongst them for a month and that they didn't even notice or spot him, yet while this idea was easily discarded, did rumors start on **where** he could have been.  
And the spots chosen by some of the students really proved that they didn't at all know my best friend as one even thought he had been hiding in Fudge's office, waiting for a chance to strike and take Fudge out, but had given up. And while I had kept to myself for most of these rumors, had I just looked at this one as if the person was an utter loon.  
And Neville, who seemed to take great offense to anyone who behaved like that, had also proven my thoughts to be shared as he had derisively snorted and said: "You really know your Boy-Who-Lived, don't you William? Your fellow Lions?" And this had instantly brought an end to this rumor, at least for the most part.

Umbridge, on the other hand, had actually taken this rumor for a fact and had left Hogwarts for the Ministry. And I heard from Susan, who became closer to my friends and me after that meeting in the Hogs Head, even though the idea for the club was off the table for now, exactly what the paranoid woman had done there.  
"She had actually threatened Head-Aurors like Kingsley Shacklebolt and John Dawlish into performing this really intricate, intrusive and core-draining investigation into Fudge's office and had even tried to detain your brother to force-feed him Veritaserum, because she thought **he** was the one to lead Harry inside.  
Needless to say, Fudge called on auntie and now he and Percy are, if nothing else, changing their tunes about those praises they gave her. Auntie even told me she heard Fudge mutter if she really is the best to be Hogwarts' High Inquisitor and heard rumors from the higher ups that there might be someone replacing her after the break."  
And while Hermione had been beyond ecstatic at this, did I ask: "Entirely replace her or just as High Inquisitor?" And Hermione deflated when Susan answered with the latter. Still, I really don't care much as, amazingly enough, Umbridge hasn't tried using the Blood Quill on anyone else and Dobby even told me she's started hiding it.

Still, right now I really don't care for any of this as I have more important matters on mind. Finding a Christmas gift – for someone who is in hiding and can't exactly do much, not to mention buying gifts for others in his name as he won't be able to do it himself. Dobby had offered to do it, but I had told him that might risk his secret.  
Dobby really is a goldmine of a help as, while I was shocked to discover that Hermione's knitting hats and hiding them has made Dobby be the only Elf left to clean Gryffindor common room, does this also provide the elf a free chance to, after cleaning, make a quick trip to Harry to help him before heading back to the kitchens.  
And because no one has a clear schedule of when which House Elf is in the kitchen or elsewhere in the castle, is this the perfect solution to Dobby keeping his position as Harry's help a secret, though I do still have trouble holding back laughing and snorting every time I think back to what he did to Malfoy at the end of the last match.  
Snape and Umbridge did both try to get me punished for this, but other than my promise that Malfoy would get his due, did they have nothing to use against me and the fact that it's well known that I, my family and friends hate Malfoy with a passion didn't help them. All they could do was watch me closely ever since and they did.

But I don't care for Malfoy, Snape or Umbridge and am just standing at the border to the Shrieking Shack, looking up at it with a wistful look as I am trying to think of what Harry would give Ginny. "Mr. Weasley?" I hear behind me and I want to sigh in annoyance, but say: "Just thinking of happier times, Professor Dumbledore.  
This is, after all, the place where Harry got a part of his family back." The man sighs himself as he comes to stand with me and says: "That is true – and you know –." But I growl at him: "I know that Sirius would give his life to see Harry safe and that he appreciates me doing the same. The answer remains the same, Sir."  
The man sighs again and says: "Please come to my office tonight after everyone has gone to bed, Mr. Weasley. I – might have something that will convince you otherwise." I roll my eyes at this and while I wonder if Harry is watching us right now, do I slack in my step to make a symbol in the snow I know only Harry will get.

I then turn around, but suddenly step on a branch I know wasn't there when I came here and the next second I feel a shocking pull behind my navel, the world changing into a myriad of colors before it rights itself again. And when it does, do I fall down, landing on a really dusty floor, but not one I know is part of Grimmauld Place.  
I feel glad that I have started wearing fake wands given to me by Fred and George as a reward for my consistent work as a Secret Keeper as the first fake one I pull out is instantly pulled from my grasp before suddenly something silver is against my throat. And the sight of this silver thing being a hand almost makes me lose my temper.  
"Not the smartest move, sir, especially seeing as how I was talking with **Dumbledore** just as you took me. He'll be here in minutes, I assure you." I say instead, trying to keep my tone polite but strong, not wanting to tempt the monster of a man, but not willing to back down either. Yet the sight of him really isn't helping matters.

Harry did tell Hermione, the twins and me over summer just what Voldemort looks like, but his words did the monster with the white skull, red eyes and snake-like nostrils no justice as his looks are enough to make me glad I haven't visited Honeydukes yet. No, just the sight of the man makes me understand why Harry had so many nightmares.  
"Sir? Now that is an interesting way to be addressed, especially by someone like you, Mr. Weasley. Though if you are this polite, perhaps you can be just as polite and tell me **where is Harry Potter**?" The monster does emphasize the last three words, but seems to keep his tone the same way I tried to keep mine, making me feel relieved.  
Yet I smirk at this question and say: "Sorry, but if I don't tell Dumbledore, what makes you think I will tell you?" The man seems intrigued at this and I wonder what Snape has told the man about the last few months before he starts to smirk, which makes me suppress a shudder of utter fright, and he then retort-asks me:  
"And what makes you think I can't just kill you and then rip the information from your mind, young Weasley?" But while the knowledge that mind-reading is a thing horrifies me and makes me decide to study methods to fight this if I get out of here, do I say: "You seem to be under the impression that history is repeating itself, sir.

Allow me to be the first to tell you that **you are wrong.** I am not the only Secret Keeper, there are six others and the spell, since the second week of October has been at full power, way stronger than the one in 1981 could have ever been. And your group is no longer the group that can break the spell, that honor befalls the Order."  
The man looks intrigued, but while I talked did my nerves overwhelm me for a short second and I started looking around before looking back at him. And in that split second of me doing so, did I spot it. A mirror against the wall behind where the man is seated on a horrible looking throne and it is aimed straight at me.  
And while I am certain this is for the man's sick pleasure, that if he wants he will force me to watch myself as he tortures me or something, did I spot that same little branch that took me here only a little bit behind my right foot. "Did he really learn nothing from last time?" I think, but I don't let this thought show on my face.  
"You see, sir. The whole reason Harry went down under isn't because he fears you or because Umbridge has been hurting him to the point of breaking. It's because people like Dumbledore, Lupin and others that constantly said they care for him and knew his parents and honored their sacrifice, betrayed him."

We both hear the squeak from the man whose hand is still under my throat, but I ignore it, even if I want nothing more than to draw another wand, whether my own or another fake, and curse him for what he did, for killing Cedric and what he caused Harry last June. I refrain from this, knowing Harry needs me and just focus on what I must do.  
"They spied on him and called it guarding. And when he needed to be guarded, they did nothing. Because when it came down to it, their precious Order was more important to them than his emotional or physical health. And the one person who was almost the closest link he had to his parents even went one step further in all this.  
And when Harry realized this and realized that one of them could have easily guarded and protected him without risking the Order due to her abilities and that she didn't, he had enough. He felt too betrayed, too hurt, too abandoned on too many levels. And that was the motivation behind the Fidelius. Not his safety, but his rights."

The man looks greatly intrigued and I actually managed to move away from Pettigrew just enough that I can move back without scratching myself to the silver of his hand and I make sure to lock my eyes with him as I say: "Killing me won't break the Fidelius, sir. Only the Order apologizing, meaning it and, fixing their mistakes can."  
And while I say this, do I think: "Three." As I say _apologizing_. "Two." As I say _meaning_. And: "One." As I say _fixing._ And just when Voldemort seems to read in my eyes – or maybe through my eyes my mind – what I am planning, do I stretch my leg back, my toe touching the twig again and the world starting to swirl madly once again.  
And the last thing I make sure to do before this happens is reach into my robe and throwing out a large amount of the fake wands that I have in my pockets, shouting a spell to make sure they activate and change just as a horrible-looking red curse streaks my way. Yet the Port Key activates just a second sooner and I get missed.

I land back in Hogsmeade, being glad for the snow above all else and instantly jump up, turning around and turning to the Shack, wanting Harry to be the first to see me, needing my best friend to know that I am back and safe and finally understanding. Understanding how he felt when he escaped that horrible, despicable monster.  
He cried when he arrived back in June, not just over Cedric's death, but also over the trauma he was just part of and while I only had a conversation with the monster, did I know that me talking was the only thing that kept the monster from torturing me or even killing me. And that thought makes it hard for me to suppress my own tears.  
Something about the Shack makes me feel sure that Harry has seen me and so I rush out, through the trees and into the town. And the first thing I spot is Hermione fretting herself crazy as she cries and mutters and paces in front of the Three Broomsticks. I rush for her, but she spots me first and rushes at me as well.

"RON! YOU'RE OKAY! YOU'RE UNHURT! OH THANK MERLIN! WE HAVE TO LET DUMBLEDORE KNOW! HE CAME INTO HOGSMEADE AND RUSHED STRAIGHT THROUGH IT! HE'S GOING TO ALERT LONDON! WE HAVE TO LET HIM KNOW YOU'RE BACK AND OKAY!"  
But then it hits me and I mutter: "I'm not okay, Hermione. Yes, I'm unharmed, the most I probably have is a few scratches from the two times I landed due to the Port Key and maybe a bit of scratched skin from the bastard that tried to threaten me by holding silver to my throat, but – I'm not okay." The girl looks at me worriedly and I say:  
"You can't be _okay_ coming back from what I just returned from, Hermione. If you saw him, you'd know that. And let me tell you one last thing: as descriptive as Harry might be, his words did not do that monster and his horrifying looks justice. Just remember what he told you about him, think of your worst nightmares – and then combine those.  
Only then do you come even close to imagining how it feels to be in his presence." The girl is now trembling like a leaf and I notice the twins having joined us, their looks proving that they too are relieved beyond words that I am back, but the both of them also looking seriously worried before they take charge together.

"Hermione, head for Hogwarts and tell Dumbledore that Ron's back.""We'll take him inside here so Dumbledore can have somewhere he can check up on him and know where he is.""Ron needs some butterbeer and some chocolate, to recover from his frights." The girl had wanted to object, but concedes to this and leaves.  
I smile at them, but then notice that they are still looking grim. I turn and we head inside the Three Broomsticks. Madam Rosemerta, thanks to the little tip the twins give her from their earnings with the joke shop product selling, gets us a private boot and once we are seated there, do we all make sure to cast extra privacy charms.

"When we saw Dumbledore rush from the Shack.""And heard him say that you've been taken by Port Key.""We knew what that would mean.""So we went and checked the Shack.""Good thing too." "Harry was about to leave it.""Go and reveal himself just to search for you.""It took us a lot of effort.""To get him to go back."  
The two tell me and I grimace as I say: "Then it's a good thing I arrived back in front of the Shack when I did. Harry was the first to see that I was back and I'm sure he saw that I was unharmed. Though I did have to tell – **him** everything about the Fidelius and what it meant. Not who the Keepers were, just that there were multiple and all."  
The two nod and then I make sure to check our surroundings, knowing we have every bit of privacy available, but still feeling riled up and feeling my body shaking like mad over the experience and I whisper: "Mind reading is a thing. **He** threatened to kill me and then rip the info from my mind. We have to learn a defense against that."  
The two look shocked, but nod and then, just as Madam Rosemerta comes over with our drinks, a look on her face proving she's not happy with the extra privacy charms, does the door open and do I see Dumbledore and McGonagall rush in with Hermione, looks of utter relief on their incredibly distressed faces.

"Mr. Weasley, thank Merlin that you're okay!" McGonagall says as she comes to join us at our seat, yet the twins, who are each sitting on one of my sides, seat themselves a little closer, offering me comfort and support as I say: "Not exactly, Professor. One can never be _alright_ after meeting with someone like him.  
I think the more correct term would be _thank Merlin you're back_. And please understand, the only reason I am doing what I currently am is because my adrenaline is making my mind run in overdrive right now. I am still very much traumatized by what I saw – by _who_ I saw – and so I am trying to overcome my racing heart with my logic."  
The woman had grimaced in annoyance when I started correcting her, but her visage turned more understanding and caring as I continued and she nodded before I turn to Dumbledore and say: "And I owe you an apology as well, sir. I won't be able to come to your office tonight. I might be too high strung and do something I'll regret."

The man frowns at this and says: "I won't ask you to come to my office for what we discussed earlier, Mr. Weasley, but I would still like you to come, if only to hear –." But I already know what he is planning and remember what Harry was like after he did that to him at the end of my fourth, Harry having complained about this later on.  
And so I just start: "It was a branch that took me to a room that was filthier than London when we first came there. And you can try to stop me all you want, sir. I feel safe and comforted by my older brothers and if I can't rely on my family in regards to traumatic experiences, then you tell me; who do I rely on?"  
The man grimaces, even though he had tried to interrupt me and just sits back as I go on: "I instantly had a wand taken from me. The others and I have taken to carrying the twins' Fake wands on us at all times, though this really wasn't the reason for that. Anyway, one of those was taken from me and that rat put his hand on my throat.

That was when I saw him and –." Here I stop and shudder, just speaking about having seen him making the very fresh memory even sharper and more to the forefront and while I know I'd otherwise feel humiliated, does Fred help me take a bite of my chocolate. The substance warms me up and I feel myself capable of continuing.  
"Sir, Harry told us all over summer what he looked like and – either he didn't give us a full description, he withheld some of the description and how it felt to be in such a presence or – I was just too inexperienced to realize just how – how utterly and deadly horrifying it was to be in his presence. Work of nightmares doesn't even cut it."  
The two adults nod, their eyes proving that they agree with me based on their own fights with the monster back in the last war. And for the first time since the start of October do I remember why it was always so nice and welcome to trust in these two, because they have experiences that you didn't – or that I didn't until now.  
Still, to be able to share this experience, this knowledge, this sense of understanding with the two, makes me feel a little better about it all and I calm down a little more, gulping a little bit of my drink before I say: "Just looking at him made me know I could die if I didn't thread carefully, but I managed to divert him from doing so.

I told him how it was you I was just talking with and called him sir as I told him you'd probably be on him with the need to save me soon and it was that, the fact I called him sir and kept my tone polite, that intrigued him. He didn't even have his wand aimed at me, not even when he demanded I tell him where Harry was."  
The headmaster smiles and says: "Even I never called Tom anything that didn't infuriate him and seeing your close bond to Harry, he probably expected you to treat him with the same contempt and hatred. You truly did a smart thing there, Ronald, please tell us more." I nod and take a bit more of the chocolate Rosemerta just freshly brought over.

"We did exchange a bit of banter, me explaining how even you didn't know the secret and him making the kind of threat you'd expect of him, but then – I just told him what I told the school. That there are six others, that the spell is full power and that it was Harry's intent for going under that is now what will undo the spell.  
And before you say anything, Sir, I did the right thing. Why? Because now Voldemort knows that Harry is out of his reach fully and truly and that, even if he kills me, he won't be able to change that. I secured my own chance at living and ensured that that monster will no longer put effort in hunting down my best friend.  
I didn't just escape him, professor, I ensured both of our safety and futures as I did. I don't doubt that Voldemort will want me punished for littering his room with fake wands that got changed into whatever as I left, but then again, he wants my brothers punished for being blood traitors. Nothing changed, nothing at all."

"I really don't think –." Dumbledore tries, but the sense of understanding and the bond I thought was forming between us from it is now gone and because I am still working so hard not to give into the horror, fear and fright I feel every time I think back to where I just came from, do I fell and silence him with a stare and snap:  
"If you had just let Snape tell him what I told the school and now him, he wouldn't have done this in the first place. You kept Snape silent and that made Voldemort come after me. I don't blame you for putting me through the horror of seeing him face to face, but I do blame you for giving him the incentive to wanting me brought over."

Yet then I turn back to the tavern as I say: "Of course, I don't just blame you for that, sir. My ire has another target. Someone who has a very famous, yet annoying catchphrase that I am quite positive I heard him mutter when I left the Great Hall after I made my first announcement." And the twins agree on this as they angrily chorus:  
" _Wait till my father hears this."_ And I think: "Seems like a certain ferret is getting himself another visit from his old House Elf." And while I wonder when and where I can talk to Dobby about this, do I turn back to the teachers and ask: "If – if that's all, sir, professor, I – I'd like to spent the rest of the weekend – with my family, please?"  
The two share a look and the twins hug me close as they start to talk: "We'll keep an eye on him.""Take him to Honeydukes after this.""And make sure he visits Madam Pomfrey after we come back.""You have our words." The two nod and Dumbledore says: "My door is open whenever you feel the need to hop by, Mr. Weasley."

And while I want to take these words as comforting reassurance, does the imploring look make me glare at him as he and Professor McGonagall walk away. "He still wants you to visit for that same reason he spoke of earlier, doesn't he?" George asks and I nod as Fred goes on: "What did he want you to do that for anyway?"  
I grimace and roll my eyes as I go back to my drink, which Madam Rosemerta switched from an empty butterbeer bottle to a cup of hot cocoa, as I say: "He thinks he has a new incentive for me to tell him where Harry is.""Even though he just heard that you used that as an argument against him? Is he actually serious?"  
Fred asks and I nod, but then remember something, something I didn't tell Dumbledore, because I didn't want to find out what he knew about this. I tense up and my brothers turn to me as I whisper: "We can't look anyone we don't trust in the eye anymore. Apparently mind reading is a thing and can be done through eye-contact.  
Voldemort realized that I was planning to escape the one time I decided to look him right in the eye, just as I was reaching for the branch with my foot. We need to start learning how to defend our minds against this. The Fidelius is strong, but – the same doesn't count for our knowledge of who and who isn't a Secret Keeper."

The two look at me shocked as I tell them this and then George says: "I'll see if I can contact Bill. If anyone knows anything about secrecy and the power of the mind, it has to be Goblins. Maybe they have some kind of magical power we can learn or at least know some reference guides we can use." I nod and then tell him:  
"Try and see if you can use Dobby. I know he uses the fact that he is the only elf cleaning Gryffindor to our advantage and to quickly check on Harry between finishing his chores and going back to the kitchens, but – I think Harry will accept it if Dobby comes a few seconds later if he hears why. I think he'll agree with the necessity."

The two nod and the rest of the day is spent exactly as the twins told Dumbledore. We stay in the Three Broomsticks for another hour, having more chocolate than is probably healthy and then head for Honeydukes where we stock up with even more chocolate for later before heading over to get myself checked over by Madam Pomfrey.  
And while she voices her annoyance over us coming to her this late and her displeasure over all of the chocolate we have with us and consumed, does she also compliment us on properly handling my state of health while we were out of her care and on making such good use of the benefits of the magic inside chocolate.  
She tells me to come visit her for a check-up the next couple of days and that, if I want, I can spend the night, but when I say I'd rather be with family, does she calmly accept this. And while part of me wonders why she never gave this same level of care to Harry last June, do I just spent the rest of the day on autopilot and go to sleep.

* * *

 _ **Sleep well, Ron  
**_ _ **So I was actually going to cover the meeting between Dumbledore and Ron in Dumbledore's office in this one, but the whole thing with Ron coming back from being kidnapped took priority and took just long enough, I felt that it suited the chapter better if I leave that meeting for a later point in time, probably in a week or so.  
**_ _ **Also, I hope how you all liked how I actually formed a bit of an understanding between Ron, Dumbledore and McGonagall. Too bad they didn't realize that happened or valued the importance behind it. Anyway, next chapter is going to cover Malfoy's little penalty and Ron getting a reason to be REALLY anti-Dumbledore.  
**_ _ **Let's do this,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


	7. The Worst Meeting Ever

_**Hey everyone,  
**_ _ **IMPORTANT UPDATE! This will be the last month where I will be updating all 14 stories at the end of every month. I am just going to do the same thing everyone else does; either fully finish a story and then post the full thing or finish a chapter and then post it once it's written. However, there are stories, like to Read Into The Universe, where I will probably try to finish the whole thing and edit out the mistakes and whatnot and only then post the finished product.  
I'm sorry if this upsets some of you, but I know about myself that I NEED to do this. Over the course of the last few months, I just haven't felt as if I have given these stories the attention they deserve and while I am happy with some stories and how some chapters are written, do I just feel lost and disappointed looking back on others. I'm just starting to feel like thinking: "I could have done better." when looking back at some of the chapters I wrote, so I made this decision. Onto the story.  
**_ _ **Merlin's beard, this story is going absolutely amazing. To be honest, this is one of those stories where I wish it just wouldn't end. Still, I do have an ending for it planned and it will be sometime around the latter half of Order. Though I can give you all one guarantee before it ends; there will only be one death in this entire story.  
**_ _ **Care to guess who,**_

 _ **Venquine1990  
PS. This chapter is still pre-written, thus still with the old writing style. That will be changed once this story is finished. Also, I'm pretty sure that I have some pre-written chapters that are written in the new style.  
Shout-Out To:  
Jostanos  
Shadow Wolf 15846  
Wishfull-star  
Yaw613  
V.L. Crawford  
Kirsty21  
Ale74  
Cassandra30  
Kairan1979  
The Reader Of Harry **__**Potter**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 07  
**_ _ **The Worst Meeting Ever**_

 _ **9**_ _ **th**_ _ **of December 1995  
**_ _ **Dumbledore's Office, Hogwarts  
**_ _ **Ron's POV**_

The last week has been really, really hard. Monday being filled with all of those accursed lessons – History, Defense, Potions and Divinations – did not help the way I still felt after the kidnap that took place on Saturday and the longer it lasted, the more I wondered how Harry managed to keep going after such an event.  
Never more have I felt more pride and amazement over my best friend and his levels of patience and endurance, yet part of me also started to wonder if it really was endurance, whether or not it wasn't just because he had no other choice. This both made me feel even worse, but also made me even more proud to be a Secret Keeper.  
"He wasn't giving the chance to heal from June until now. Maybe these last few months being alone in the Shack, knowing he is being helped and kept safe from immoral people will do that for him." I thought to myself quite a few times and this helped me fuel my determination to keep my resolve strong, no matter what.  
I also made sure to use Dobby every other night to make a quick trip to the Shack, arriving at the same spot as where I was kidnapped and I would stand there for a few minutes, just to give Harry a little extra reassurance that I really am back from Voldemort's grasp, before having the little elf take me back, so I can go to bed.

By now, while I don't feel as if last weekend has never happened or as if I will easily forget what happened or as if I can go back to who I was before that happened, do I actually feel ready to head to Dumbledore's office. Though this is more to keep him from constantly sending me inquiring stares than out of pure free will.  
The man is really grating on my nerves and I am even willing to partially blame him for the fact that I have had three nightmares of what _could_ have happened last weekend and I made sure to inform Madam Pomfrey before heading for the office. "I'll head for the meeting and then make sure to send him to the Hospital wing."  
I think to myself as I am waiting on the moving staircase to head up to the office and the knowledge that Madam Pomfrey is waiting to rant at him over not giving me enough time to heal from a traumatic experience and yet this does nothing to the unsure feeling I have in my gut about _why_ Dumbledore might want to meet me.

I reach the door to the office, but even before I can knock, does the man tell me I can come in. I roll my eyes at this and do as said, yet I decide that chess is a two-player game. At least, that is my plan, until I notice that it's not just me and the Headmaster that is here as another person, who is cloaked from head to foot, is there.  
This confuses and concerns me as I wonder what this man or woman could have to do with Dumbledore wanting to meet with me. "Mr. Weasley, thank you for finally coming." Dumbledore says, but I roll my eyes and say: "I would have come under better circumstances if you weren't being so determined to goad me here.  
Though I will leave why for Madam _Pomfrey_ to explain to you. So, who's the Dementor?" At this a snort comes from the person, yet his voice is contorted with magic to make it sound both male and female and Dumbledore says: "Ah yes, our _friend_ here is the whole reason I wanted you to come here, actually. You see –."

But then the person makes me feel as if I actually have someone who understands why I don't like Dumbledore at the moment as he/she interrupts the man and says: "Mr. Weasley, your Headmaster has convinced me and my fellow Unspeakables that, for the sake of the school, you should listen to this here prophesy I have with me."  
This intrigues me and I ask: "The Headmaster has told you that Divinations is my least-liked subject, yes?" The person nods and says: "Yes, but like I said, he told me it was for the best of the school." This makes me look at the man in question and ask: "Then why did you tell me this would convince me to tell you where Harry is?"  
Dumbledore is obviously not liking the fact that we only pay attention to him when we want, but before he can answer, does the person say: "Because the prophesy _is_ about Potter, Mr. Weasley. It was made just two months before Potter was born and some of its contents – are why Tom Riddle went after him and his parents."

Instantly the Unspeakable has my attention and he pulls a small platform from his huge cloak, upon which, inlaid in a cushion, I see a glass ball that has swirling bits of smoke going through it as well as move around it here and there. And even from the other side of the room can I sense it radiate with a strange, mythical kind of magic.  
The person then sets the platform down on the desk of the Headmaster and says: "Whenever you're ready, Mr. Weasley. I will activate the spell that is on the cushion that will allow the prophesy to be spoke aloud. Please know, however, that the Headmaster asked us to alter the spell, so that only a part of the prophesy is heard."  
This makes me turn to the man and while I can tell that he is actually in two-battle with himself, does he say: "This prophesy, as our joined friend has just told you, Mr. Weasley, is the whole reason the Potters became Lord Voldemort's target. However, he only knows part of it and – and I cannot risk him learning the other part."

Suddenly I remember something, something that feels like it happened so long ago, practically a year if not longer. _**He's got other plans too, plans he can put into operation very quietly indeed, and he's concentrating on those for the moment. Stuff he can only get by stealth. Like a weapon. Something he didn't have last time.  
**_ All the stuff Sirius was able to tell Harry and us before mum interrupted him comes back to me and I think: "So this is what they have been so focused on. This must also be _why_ that one person who worked for the Order and was supposed to get us to the Platform got caught at the DoM. That must have been an attempt by – him."  
I shudder at this, the thought of anything Voldemort related not really pleasant for me to think of after the last weekend and I nod at the Unspeakable as he and Dumbledore look at me imploringly. The Unspeakable seems to need a second longer to judge me before his cloak ruffles to indicate him nodding back and then he does his magic.

 _ **The boy with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord.**_ This sentence instantly rings through my mind and is all I can think of and focus on. And while I have no doubt that more is being said, that these ten words weren't enough for the Darkest Wizard in the World to suddenly become interested in a child, do I not care either.  
"The reason he went after them. The reason they went into hiding. The reason they were betrayed. The reason Sirius spent twelve years in Azkaban. The reason Harry is an orphan. All of that is right in front of me. _And Dumbledore_ _ **still believes that blasted crap!**_ " Goes through my mind and suddenly I hear the man in question shout my name.  
I look up, noticing that there is blood running down my hands, that my whole body is shaking and that the Headmasters and Mistresses in their portraits are actually looking disheveled, as if something shook at their portraits. I look around and the Unspeakable says: "He hardly heard any of it, Headmaster. Not even the full 1st sentence."

The Headmaster looks between the Unspeakable and me and the fact that he looks curious as to why I didn't hear the rest infuriates me even more. Expect this time I actually notice that my magic is going on around me and is causing for the portraits to start shaking again. And with the greatest of effort do I try to reign it in.  
I just glare at the man and growl: "Congratulations, Dumbledore. You just shot yourself in the foot in the worst way possible. You **wanted** to convince me to tell you where Harry was. But the only thing you accomplished – is **further fueling** my determination to never let that happen. If anything, the only thing you did, was change the setting."  
I draw myself to my full height, which thanks to me being one of the largest of the Weasleys is easily accomplished and I growl: "Before, Headmaster, the only way the Fidelius could fall was if you would show that you have a strong sense of moral and that you wanted to atone for the mistakes you made this last year.  
Now, I don't want Harry out of where he's hiding. Not until _**YOU**_ do right by the Potters and fix the mistake made by – _**that**_." I say, venom, hatred, anger and disgust ringing through my voice and shining in my eyes as I sharply point at the prophesy orb, the Unspeakable apparently looking at me before he puts it away.

I then send one last glare at the Headmaster, silencing as he tried to talk to me, his tone proving he wanted to try and convince me again and then storm out of the office, feeling too infuriated by his disgusting beliefs to be able to form words with which I can explain why his beliefs disgust me as much as they do.  
And to my disgust do I notice that the staircase has retracted. Yet I don't care for this or the fact that what I am about to do might make me lose my Prefect Badge. But then I remember what can happen as long as I remain Prefect and I storm back inside, over to Dumbledore's desk and spit at his desk as I slam my badge onto it.  
And before the man can do more than look at it wide eyed, do I storm back out again, making sure to pull out my wand and not another fake wand and use it to cast a levitation charm on myself as I jump as well as a cushioning charm on the ground below. And while I spot Hermione and the twins there, do I not care.  
I don't care for the shock and horror shown on their faces, how they shout out at me or how they cast the same spells to help me down gently. I am just too furious and only growl: "With me." As I start storming out of the castle, my friend and brothers following me with shocked and confused and baffled looks on their faces.

I storm across most of the grounds, not really searching for a spot where we can be private, but more needing time to cool down and after we have crossed the Quidditch pitch, most of the Green Houses and are about to cross Hagrid's Hut, do I turn sharply and head there, my remaining anger making me pound on his door.  
The half-giant opens the door and I growl: "I need privacy. Just been to see Dumbledore. You might want to go see him yourself. Let him know that I'm calming down – somewhat. Though also tell him, I will **not** change my mind." The giant looks confused and asks: "Want to come with me and –." But I yell: " **NEVER**!"  
Shocking him before the twins say: "Just leave, Hagrid. Ron needs this. He needs space." The CoMC teacher nods and after one last concerned look at me, does he leave. I let the others in first and then slam the door behind me. And to my slight relief is Hermione too shocked and baffled to give me her usual affronted rants.

I go to stand with the window near the tiny, wooden kitchenette that Hagrid has and cast several of my usual secrecy and privacy spells on the window there, the twins quickly doing the same for the door they are still next to as well as other bits of furniture that could, possibly, hide someone and Hermione casts the Revealing charm, coming up empty.  
This spell-casting and the way that my brothers and Hermione are helping me without question takes the last bit of my anger, yet I know it will spike again once I tell them what I just found out. Yet I know they need to hear this, the twins because they are Keepers and Hermione, because it will ensure her loyalty to Harry.

"Dumbledore wanted to talk to me – because he wanted to show me the weapon. The one Sirius told us about over summer." The three look shocked and Fred asks: "How was that supposed to help him convince you to reveal where Harry is?" And I answer: "He thought its contents would convince me." And George jibes:  
"He thought wrong, obviously." I nod and Hermione asks: "What is it?" And while I grip the iron platform, if only to have something to release my impending anger on, do I say: "I'm sorry if I scare you with this. When I heard it, it pushed me to the verge of casting Accidental Magic, like when Harry blew up his aunt before Third."  
The three nod, proving they understand and appreciate the warning and while I can tell that Hermione wants to ask me why I'm sure of this, am I glad that her curiosity over the weapon overcomes this bit of curiosity. "The weapon is a prophesy. One heard by both Dumbledore and – I think – a spy working for him back in the day.  
It was apparently made two months before Harry was born and was – get this – the **whole** reason he went after them. The Unspeakable that was with Dumbledore confirmed this date and that it was about Harry and Dumbledore confirmed that this was, when overheard, the reason he started wanting to kill Harry and his parents back then."

I had noticed that Hermione had started showing her usual dislike and disbelief over the subject of prophesies, just like she did the summer before Fourth when Harry confided us about the prophesy he overheard during his exams, but when she hears that this was all confirmed by an Unspeakable, does her disbelief get replaced with shock.  
"What does it say?" She asks and I turn my face away, frowning and thinning my lips in anger as I growl: "I don't know all of its contents. Apparently he only knew part of it and Dumbledore was only willing to let me hear the bit that he did. I just didn't get that far as just the first sentence infuriated me too much to hear the rest."  
"Ugh, really Ron? What could –?" This time Hermione's disgust over the subject seems to have overcome her, but I snarl: " _ **The boy with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord**_." And the way that I quote this silences her and I can already tell that the twins share my anger and my disgust with what they just heard.

I turn to them and snap: "Exactly. Those ten words infuriated me. And so did the facts that are stuck with them. The fact that they are the reason he went after them. the fact that they are the reason the Potters are dead. The fact that they are the reason that Harry's an orphan. And then the worst of it all, the fact that tops it all."  
By now I am so angry, tears of anger are actually streaming down my face and while I really hope that our secrecy charms will contain this: "THE FACT THAT, EVEN AFTER THIS ABOMINATION MADE HARRY AN ORPHAN – DUMBLEDORE CONTINUED BELIEVING IN IT! HE DIDN'T DETEST IT, HE STILL BELIEVED IT!"  
Hermione looks shocked and horrified, but the twins are looking unusually calm and just as serious as they have been showing themselves every time we are secretly meeting in their dorm room. And to see this side of them helps me calm down, making me realize that I am panting and that the kitchenette behind me broke in half.

I cringe at that and pull out my wand, casting a repairing charm and fixing the furniture before I sigh and say: "Dumbledore – actually looked at me as if he was confused that I couldn't hear past those ten words, so I – I snapped at him and told him that he had failed. That he caused the opposite of what he wanted to accomplish.  
Those words didn't make me want to reveal Harry's location, they just made me more determined to keep him safe, to keep his location secret. I am **not** going to believe that he has some kind of unknown power, even if his skills are quite impressive, and I am definitely **not** going to believe that he can beat the killer of his parents.  
I'm willing to believe that he can survive him, escape him – I mean, I did that just last weekend – but I don't believe that Harry can kill. He just doesn't have it in him. He's too kind-hearted for that, even if he does have a mean streak a mile wide when it comes to getting back at bastards like Snape and Umbridge and Malfoy.  
But even Snape and Malfoy never got physically hurt when he wanted to get back at them, so I know Harry won't have it in him to take a life. Heck, I doubt he even knows he, more or less, did so in self-defense and without his own strength or power back in our First against Quirrell. And that wasn't even by his own accord."

I look up, out of the window without really seeing the fields beyond and say: "Harry's not a killer. He's not someone who can take another's life. I mean, FOR MERLIN'S SAKE! His own godfather and favorite teacher wanted to take the life of the one who made him an orphan – and he stopped them from doing it. That proves my point!"  
"Exactly." I hear a female voice behind me and turn around, only now remembering that Hermione and the twins are here as I have felt like I was just ranting at myself these last few minutes. The girl comes over to stand with me and says: "You did right, Ron. You are Harry's Secret Keeper and, against people like Dumbledore, he needs that.  
And you, Ronald, you proved that nothing and no one is going to change that. That you will stay strong and that you will keep to your role no matter what or who. I – I won't lie, I've been wondering and doubting why Harry picked you and not me, but – now I understand." The girl looks down at her feet and whimpers:

"I won't lie. If I heard that prophesy in Dumbledore's office, I probably wouldn't have lost myself the way you did. I probably would have heard it through down to the part where Voldemort or his spy got interrupted and it – it probably would have frightened me. frightened me enough I would want Dumbledore to keep Harry safe.  
I probably would have caved, I probably would have told him exactly where to find Harry, wherever he is. But you didn't, Ron. You proved that your friendship is stronger than mine and that your loyalty is exactly where it should be. I – I'm proud of you, Ron. You are the Prefect Percy never could have been, the friend Percy never was."

But at this, while I know that it's a real compliment coming from her, do I turn my face away and say: "I gave Dumbledore back my badge. I knew, if he got his chance, he would try to interfere on the Prefect Meetings, just to meet with me and convince me, or at least try. I didn't want to give him that chance, it felt unclean, wrong."  
The girl looks shocked and then conflicted, but then she sighs and says: "You're right. Dumbledore was probably the one who chose you as Prefect over Harry – Merlin knows why – so I can see why you think that badge to feel unclean." And then the twins prove that they are still here and that they know their stuff as they chorus:  
"Too bad that this will probably incur mum dearest's wrath." And just the tone with which they say this makes me burst out laughing, tears of glee instead of rage now running down my face as well as a look of relief showing on my face as I just let go of everything. The anger, the rage, the hurt, the betrayal and the pain.

* * *

 _ **Dumb move, Dumbles.  
**_ _ **Now next chapter we are going to dive into just WHY it won't be Harry versus Voldemort in the end and personally, I think this is a very compelling reason, that it will be exactly what Dumbledore needs to hear to get his head out of his honcho – or better said that dumb glass orb – and start seeing what his Order has to offer.  
**_ _ **So yeah, we are only a few chapters away from the chapter where – amazingly enough – it is going to be Umbridge who will take out the darkest wizard known to wizarding history. And even for that I have a twist in the plot planned that I can already tell you NONE**_ _ **of you are going to be able to guess, though I dare you to try.  
**_ _ **Let's do this,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


End file.
